Episodes 1-5 are now airing on Charter cable 95, Verizon FIOS 25 in Long Beach and Signal Hill, and on Time Warner 28 in Lakewood. Click here for a schedule:
or watch each episode here by scrolling below. You will also find recipes, food and equipment from each show !
Episode One "Farm to Table Freshness" - Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode Two "Grains and Beans"- Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode Three "Fats and Spices" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode Four"Working With Poultry" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode Five "Herbs and Sauces" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode Six "Repurposing Leftovers" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE!
Episode Seven "Soups and Crackers" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode Eight "Fun Fresh Snacks" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode Nine "Sweet Snacks" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode 10 "Meat & Seafood" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
Episode 11 "The Rainbow Game" Watch HERE ! Detailed recipes and what I use HERE !
I often hear that the more colors on your plate, the healthier and more appetizing it is. The colors are not from dyes, but from the food’s natural pigments. Looks can be deceiving when eating out, such as in dessert places if they overdo the aesthetic of foods by adding unnecessary coloring to attract more customers. It is better to prepare your own food so you know what exactly your body is consuming. The Rainbow Game video explained how eating a variety of naturally colored food gives more nutrients, and showed different dishes using fresh ingredients of all colors. I thought this was interesting because I learned new methods to incorporate more colors in a healthier way instead of eating plain, bland meals. I do not see a lot of blue or purple foods, so it was helpful to learn about what I can use, such as purple potatoes mixed with quinoa as a pizza crust. Eating more colorful foods would be a fun way to experiment with new dishes and broaden my taste buds, while achieving a full, nutrient-dense meal.
I really enjoyed the sweet snack video because I am someone with a sweet tooth that likes to snack. I typically go for chips and other processed foods that are not good for me. I enjoyed that the recipes were both beneficial for the environment, body, and cravings. I never thought of making a sauce for popcorn, and the addition to cinnamon is such a great idea. Peanut butter cookies are also my favorite cookies and It was great to see how to make a healthier version. I also liked the addition of honey to the recipe. The addition of seasonal items in these recipes was also great.
I love your snack recipes that satisfy the sugar craving, provide some proteins, and at the same time take care of the environment. Moreover, I love your recipes because they are great combinations of organic ingredients, which have neither pesticides nor genetically modified organism. I love the idea that people can support and protect the environment by eating organic foods from the local farm markets. The pesticides harm not only the insects but also the soil, the health of farmers and the health of consumers. I agree with you that by making food by ourselves we can control what kind of food and how much of it we put in our bodies. I know white sugar has no nutrients but I do not know that white sugar inhibits the body from absorbing nutrients. Thank you for introducing me sucanat sugar. I will share these recipes with my mom.
Hi Libby, All of your recipes are great! I particularly liked the snack episode because I am a girl who is constantly snacking or eating. I usually go for the processed foods that I Know aren’t any good for me, but as a college student and part time employee I look for whatever I can eat at the earliest convenience. One recipe that really stood out to me was the Peanut butter cookies because those are my favorite cookies! I will definitely be testing that one out for myself. I love that all your recipes are made with local products and are both great for the environment and ourselves. Your website is full of great content, I learn something new every time I visit.
I watched the Fun Fresh snacks video and learned how to make a variety of dips. These dips are a great alternative to store bought dips because as the cook, you know exactly what the ingredients are and where they are sourced. For the first dip, the walnuts and lemon could come straight from the farmer's market, meaning the food didn't have to travel too far, which lessens its impact on the environment. I wonder if we could use any kind of oil for the fist dip or does it have to be olive oil, because I hear that growing olives is very water intensive, so I try to avoid them. During the guacamole recipe, I learned that the darker parts of the avocado contain more of the nutrients. I did know that the darker the vegetable, the more vitamins are in it, so this fact made sense. I believe that Himalayan salt or sea salt are better for you than table salt because I read that a certain (small) percentage of table salt contains microplastics - yikes! I never thought to bake the chips instead of fry them, so I think I'll have to try that out.
In class we talk a lot about where the food comes from and I completely agree if you start preparing your snacks you won't wonder if the snack is harming you. I am a chip person myself and I know I couldn't read all of the ingredients on the back of a hot Cheeto bag. It is about now you the chef doing your research and hitting up farmers markets and businesses like buy ranchers direct. Yes, reducing emissions from farm to table is key that was one of the ideas presented to our class that Libby teaches. Grace Ferguson
I just watched the “Sweet Snacks” episode on Libby’s Kitchen and now my mouth won’t stop watering! I am so incredibly excited to try out all these delicious treats. Something I really appreciate about this episode was how Libby knew exactly where all her ingredients came from. For Pete’s sake, she even made her own peanut butter! I think this is the true definition of sustainability because she really does try to preserve the integrity of everything she buys and consumes. I also appreciate how Libby addressed how we crave foods and how to satiate the cravings by providing our bodies with the proper nutrients. For example, she suggested adding the nuts to the popcorn so that the consumer remains satiated. This parallels much of what I have seen with true food sustainability -- if we provide our bodies with what it truly needs, which means also addressing the cravings and seeing what we are actually lacking, we will not crave the unhealthy things as much and will be able to cue into our bodies as functioning machines. Does anyone else have any recipes for sustainable sweet treats I can try? I definitely want to get into sustainable cooking and baking!
I finished watching the "Sweet Snacks" episode on Libbys Kitchen and honestly I have never enjoyed watching someone making sweet snacks how she has. Im excited to create my own snacks with all the tips she provides. If you would follow step by step, I bet it would come out as wonderful and delicious looking as her recipes. Event though her first recipe was the popcorn, that straightly caught my attention to make because once the syrup was added, I can taste the texture in my mouth. What I also enjoy is how Libby informs where her products she uses are purchased and how much it costs. From thinking that all sweets contain the same calories, there are other sweets that will contain less of what we usually consume, but a great recommendation would be if we would follow Libbys recipes. Has anyone seen or heard of a recipe how Libby recommends to use while craving sweets?
I finished watching the "Sweet Snacks" episode on Libbys Kitchen and honestly I have never enjoyed watching someone making sweet snacks how she has. Im excited to create my own snacks with all the tips she provides. If you would follow step by step, I bet it would come out as wonderful and delicious looking as her recipes. Event though her first recipe was the popcorn, that straightly caught my attention to make because once the syrup was added, I can taste the texture in my mouth. What I also enjoy is how Libby informs where her products she uses are purchased and how much it costs. From thinking that all sweets contain the same calories, there are other sweets that will contain less of what we usually consume, but a great recommendation would be if we would follow Libbys recipes. Has anyone seen or heard of a recipe how Libby recommends to use while craving sweets?
I just watched “Farm to Table Freshness”, episode one which is about being more aware of what is put on your plate. After watching this episode I learn about how shopping at farmer markets a better option because you get to directly as the vendors how their product or produce are made/grown. I did not know how to pick produce but now I know that the best type of produce to pick is vine ripe. I always just picked the prettiest one. It is interesting knowing that buying fresh produce is important but knowing how to correctly store them is very important as well. The key is to keep the vegetables dry after washing them. I never washed my vegetables before I put them in the fridge but I do wash them when I eventually plan to cook. There is a sustainable trick from the video that I want to share and is the little net material bag which is found when you purchase garlic. You can reuse that and make it into a little kitchen nonstick scrubber.
As someone who makes their own spice blends I enjoyed this episode. Understanding that fat-soluble vitamins needs a fat delivery system to truly get all of the benefits is a very overlooked proponent of recipes. The Mediterranean spice that you made and than used was interesting but with the cumin, curry and coriander, I would call it a more Indian blend than a Mediterranean blend. I love the use of cauliflower though as I feel that it really is an outstanding vegetable with a very mild taste, that really accentuates any spice blend that you put on it. I have a similar recipe but its a more Hungarian style that ups the smoked paprika and garlic, but omits the cumin, curry and coriander and adds granulated onion. I then bake the cauliflower head whole with the spice blend on it with olive oil and slice wedges off as a side dish.
After watching "Farm to Table Freshness", I learned how to looks for freshness and if it was sustainable or not. I also like how you ask the vendor about their produce in order to confirm that the produce is fresh from the farm. In addition, from watching the video I take notice in the color of the produce and also how to cut the the produce without abuse the produce. I see that in the video you, Libby, mention how to save the seed to grow the produce ourself.
Hi Sinaporn! The “Farm to Table Freshness” Episode seems to be another very informative lesson on sustainability and learning how to apply those lessons in real life. Going to farmers’ markets is one thing but knowing how to properly pick out fruits and vegetables and other produce is a completely different topic that is certainly helpful to ensure that you get the most out of your experience. Buying produce at the grocery store was really overwhelming for me when I first started cooking for myself. You see a pile of vegetables and knowing which one is the perfect pick was truly a puzzle in the beginning. I learned the basics of picking the right produce from my grandma when I was growing up, but perhaps other people do not have the same experience. Dr. Gustin’s episode on this very topic can be very useful to others who are venturing out to cook for themselves at home but may not have had the aid of their family’s knowledge or experience on where to start. Knowing which fruit or veggie is the right pick, and then how to properly cut and prepare them, are essential things to know to create that nutritious first meal!
I loved watching you shop at Lazy Acres in "Meat and Seafood". I thought it was very interesting to learn about how the cattle are fed. I had always assumed all cattle were grass fed and had availability to an open pasture. It was also neat learning that even the grass they eat can be organic because you never know what fertilizers of chemicals lie within the pasture. Now I know to specifically look for organic grass fed when I shop. I'm also glad to know that I should only freeze fresh meat and seafood. Thanks, Libby!
I really enjoyed watching Libby’s episode on “Repurposing Leftovers.” I love to eat healthy and when Libby was at the farm talking to Jesse, it really inspired me to visit a farm someday soon. It is certainly nice to be reminded that the “food comes from the land, not a grocery store,” as Libby said. It truly makes one appreciate produce a lot more knowing that it takes approximately three months to grow. I also love the fact that Jesse brings the leftover produce to low-income areas and gives it away for free. I have been volunteering with Food Forward and have been helping distribute a lot of food to low income areas like Inglewood and Watts. Although I have been to farmer’s markets plenty of times, I have not ever actually purchased produce from any of the vendors. I have been inspired recently to shop vendors at farmer’s markets. I do not cook often and I am not used to cooking with a lot of fresh produce in one meal. However, one really yummy meal that I have cooked is spaghetti squash boats with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onion, and pineapple. I work at a farm to table restaurant so I do get to see a lot of creative dishes being prepared. The cauliflower horseradish puree that my job has is one interesting thing that comes to mind, which is absolutely delicious by the way. I want to start learning to cook deliciously nutritious meals from scratch and Libby’s episode definitely taught me some really cool recipes. The ways in which Libby demonstrated repurposing leftovers is awesome. Beans are so cheap and such a good source of protein and the bean soup and dip she made were such good ideas. Using ingredients in different ways can eliminate the 40-50% of food waste that happens in houses by a long shot. I am definitely going to explore different meals when I get back in the kitchen. I do eat leftovers often, especially for holidays like the one that just passed, Thanksgiving. This episode informed me on the fact that food loses its nutrients after 1-2 days and each day after that. I was completely MIND BLOWN at the fact she made pie crust from rice, like what?! I am going to try the quiche and the shepard’s pie too. YUM!
After watching Episode Seven, “Soups and Crackers,” I realized just how simple it is to create delicious and nutrient-rich soup. Including bone into a meat or animal broth will bring out even more nutritious substances, which is actually reminds me of the way my grandma cooks soups, I just did not realize just how better for you bone broths were. The order in which to cook the vegetables that would go into a soup is so crucial as well, to get the most out of the plant’s nutritional value. So many kinds of vegetables went into the soup, and they all looked like they balanced each other out to create a perfect harmony. Dr. Gustin also provided a great example of just how easy it is to create your own homemade crackers. With just those three ingredients in her recipe, she was able to create a packet of crackers that you would typically buy at the grocery store, but instead, it was made right at home. The simplicity of the ingredients, but the intricate combination of vitamins and minerals was such an interesting thing to watch unfold through this episode. From the cutting board to the pots and baking sheets, two delicious soups of different textures and flavors were made, alongside hearty, homemade crackers that created a lovely meal that could feed the whole family.
I am a snack person. I love to have eat snack everywhere I go and I especially like to snack on chips. I would always go to the supermarket to buy dips and chips to snack at home. My favorite dip is always the 7 layers dips, which is very rich in fat from the sour cream and the processed bean. When reading the title of this episode, I never could have imagined that making fresh snacks can actually be such a common food that is usually very unhealthy. I was very fascinated by the Muhammara recipe.I understand that nuts are very healthy for the body and the fact that Muhammara dip is made from walnut is just amazing. The dip itself is very nutritious with a great amount of healthy fat, nutrients and vitamins. The recipe of the onion dip was something new that I just learn as well. Since young, I was only taught about Greek yogurt being an alternative for sour cream. Now, I learned about the culture cream and it is great as it doesn't have a sour flavor like yogurt. It seems that the cultured cream is great for many cream sauces and I can see myself incorporating this cream into my future food dishes. Overall, this episode of Libby's Sustainable Kitchen have helped me learn that sustainable eating doesn't have to be eating non-tasty food, it only means eating food that contain more natural nutrients and less bad fat such as trans-fat as well as processed salt. Eating sustainability is simply picking fresh and natural ingredients and turning them into your favorite food. Dishes like chips and dips could be done the healthy way as well if you know how to substitute unhealthy ingredients with healthy ingredients.
The 'Fats & Spices' video is very fun and I learned a lot! Fats tend to be over looked as a source of nutrients because of the simple fact it is categorized as fat and most do not see it as an extra source of benefits. Spices are also a powerhouse of nutrients and flavor that can benefit any meal.
Knowing the difference of what should be used as cooking oil and what should be used as a "finisher" is helpful. Adding in those extra nutrients would benefit while also holding the true flavor of the oil without deteriorating it with heat. The idea of ghee would be an excellent alternative to those that are looking for the benefits of a butter without the lactose. What was mentioned in this video is the use of grass-fed butter. According to Dr. Gustin's blog post "Pesticide Soup or Healthy Bone Broth" the conventional animal raised in a commercial setting has been more than likely presented with glyphosate that is strong enough to penetrate and affect bones. Milk obtained from these animals can more than likely cause hurtful side effects later in life as well as cause an imbalance in the diet and person. The importance of using grass-fed butter when making ghee can help from avoiding glyphosate and much cleaner tasting ghee.
The spice section of the video was informative and well balanced. Making spices and prepping them ahead of time can ease cooking when one has no time. It can also benefit repetitive meals or meals that lack any flavor which are common to canned or processed foods. The affordability of spices can help families or individuals that are in situations where they do not have financial stability to prep meals by making their own variety as well as the ability to familiarize food that would otherwise been overlooked because they are not familiar with it and scared to taste it. Jamie Oliver was on Ted Talk a couple years back and introduced children to common vegetables. Unfortunately, children in America are so removed from the harvesting and planting aspects of food they are clueless, for a lack of a better word, to produce. Spices can ease these introductions to children by adding in flavors inspired by tacos or spaghetti or easily palletable flavors. Although, most families might not know how to. Jamie Oliver further added that up to 3 generations of families have backed out of cooking at home and removed the ability for children and themselves to be knowledgeable in spices and foods. Can the added knowledge of spices benefit families overcome food boundaries set by their unfamiliarity of certain foods?
I watched episode 6: Repurposing Leftovers". I was drawn to this episode because I like to eat leftovers and make new dishes out of them. Usually it involves chicken and rice and creating a salad with them. I learned that I can create new dishes that incorporate more vegetables and even different varieties of vegetables like the purple potatoes in the shepherds pie. I've made my own bean dip from pinto beans before, but never have I seen a soup of that consistency being made with them. I also never seen cauliflower as a dipping option so now I want to try it. Healthy food can be fun to make and eat! Having a sustainable kitchen not only decreases the amount of food waste, but also ensures the consumer is getting the most for their dollar AND is getting the most use/nutrients out of their food. I'm glad this episode was informative and included Jesse's farm.
I have always been drawn to aesthetically pleasing colors in terms of foods. I loved the rainbow foods episode because it touched on some really important topics. People always seem to struggle when it comes to getting all the proper nutrients each day so by starting with just the color; and making sure you eat all the colors of the rainbow each day you are filling your body with all of the nutrients you need. I liked the idea of rather than limiting your daily intake of foods, you should expand your options in terms of all different colors. By doing this and paying attention to how your body responds, you tend not to over-eat and will get all of the nutrients needed.
Courtney Buckels HM 370 Section 01 After I watched the “Sweet Snacks “ episode, I was inspired to try new healthy sweet treats. People exclude sugars from their diets, but I love the alternative sugar and toppings that were presented in the episode. Store-bought snacks can contain an excessive amount of sugars that are unneeded in the ingredients. I thought it was insightful on how the peanuts were the source of protein in the popcorn. In addition, I was very impressed by the avocado sweet treat because I would have not thought that avocados could be sweet and enjoyable in that form. This episode taught me that you can still enjoy your favorite treats in a healthier and more sustainable way. These treats would be perfect for parties and little get-togethers with friends and families. I will look into recreating these treats as an after school snack instead of buying snacks from the store that contains an unhealthy amount of sugars. There are many benefits to eating locally and sustainably grown food. This will guarantee your cravings to be met and your sweet tooth to be satisfied in a healthy and sustainable manner.
Hi Courtney, I just watched that episode and found it inspiring as well. I think it was great that you pointed out that people try to exclude sugars all together, but they don't have to. It was mentioned in the video that it is important to have a balanced diet and that includes eating healthy sugars. I resonate with you on trying to make these healthy snacks instead of buying unhealthy ones from the store.
I was interested in sweet snacks that I usually eat a lot. I never imagined that I could make popcorn, not instant. But I was grateful that it was easy to make snacks through this videos and it was a great way to protect the environment and my health. I couldn't imagine having popcorn in a short time and making popcorn with the flavor what I wanted. It was so easy that even someone like me who did not cook well could easily do it. It was amazing to be able to make whipped cream that I thought was unhealthy with fresh ingredients like coconut oil and a bit of honey. If I have not made it myself, I might be thought it was a whip cream that had a bad effect on the body and only fat. It is the best way that I can make my own food and know what ingredients were in my food. I can tempt to challenge myself to make my snacks at the recommended daily dose with some sweet “sustainable food” like honey and maple syrup.
I feel I really enjoy Libby Gustin’s "Farm to Table Freshness" because it touched on a lot of important topics in a short time span. I noticed topics such as keeping the plate rainbow, the correct washing procedures of produce, making sure to get sustainable produce from reliable sources, and different ways to prepare things we use (i.e salad dressing) on a regular basis. However, the topic that caught my eye the most was the farmer’s market questioning forum. I noticed that different vendors were either really confident in their answers while others seemed a little more hesitate. It got me thinking that if the vendor is actually a reliable one, then they would most likely be one of the more confident ones because they have nothing to hide about their product and can answer any question that is thrown at them. Natural pesticides, such as chili peppers, was something I never knew existed until watching this video and it was an extremely interesting detail that made me feel better about “organic” labeled produce I may purchase online, in-store, and/or in farmers market.
The Grains & Beans video was definitely interesting and very informative! As someone whose family eats a lot of grains we have definitely been storing them in a way that I’m not sure may be the best. We typically store our grains such as white rice and brown rice in a tupperware in a cabinet in our kitchen. I did notice that an airtight container was mentioned but the type of storage material is not mentioned. How effective or harmful would a plastic tupperware be when storing rice? My family has slowly shifted throughout the years from white to brown rice - I always knew it was healthier but I was never sure why until I watched this video! We also typically buy big bags of rice and keep using the rice until we finish it. We never would throw it out until it’s done, so it’s interesting to see that the span of time you should keep these grains is much shorter than I expected. Now I know that I should get the right amounts of food so it won’t go to waste - Lazy Acres is definitely a place I would want to shop at after learning all the information from this video!
Sarah Skidmore HM 370 I felt myself gravitate towards the "Fun Fresh Snacks" video because I really enjoy the occasional snack between meals. Finding out that there are really easy snacks you can make for yourself or to share with others was very interesting to me because I've known that it's something I should be doing, but always thought making them would be a daunting task. It turns out the prep and cook times aren't so bad! When I'm at the store I try to be somewhat mindful of the snacks I am buying, but even then they are usually processed in some way. It's important to be more aware of the stuff that is being put into your body and I'm trying to figure out how to do that and how to live a sustainable lifestyle and this video definitely showed me easy ways to start! For starters, I can't wait to try making my own tortilla chips because they looked so simple and tasty, especially with the guacamole dip. The quinoa patties also seemed like a very filling snack that would keep me from eating too much in between meals, which I am definitely guilty of. Learning about the ingredients used for snacks that can replace it's more processed counterparts, so I can actually absorb the intended nutrients, will be a huge improvement for me and I'm excited to continue expanding my knowledge on sustainability!
I enjoyed watching the "Fun Fresh Snacks" video. I snack more than I eat full meals so it is important for me to learn how to snack in a healthy way. It is super exciting to hear that avocados can boost your metabolism because I consume a lot of guacamole. Also, finding ways to substitute traditionally less healthy items, like sour cream, from more health boosting ingredients, such as cultured cream, is a good technique for living a healthier life style. I have learned that making snacks is that are healthy is easier than I imagine. - Miki Clippinger
I thought the Sweet Snacks episode was great and the popcorn looked delicious. My younger brother and my dad love to snack on popcorn while we watch movies so I am excited to try that out on our next movie night. Adding protein to your snacks is a great idea I never thought of to get you full faster without over eating. Just like a salad without protein won't keep me full for very long, a bowl of popcorn will have me overeating without ever keeping me satisfied. The coconut whipped cream was also very interesting to see. I expected you would use coconut milk and was quite surprised when I saw a whole coconut on the table! The texture seemed light and creamy and I feel like I could eat in by the spoonful on its own, however I'm sure it would be delicious with the avocado mousse as well. I've seen many recipes on avocado mousse before, however they normally contained an overpowering ingredient like chocolate to mask the avocado flavor. This was the first time I ever encountered a recipe for avocado mousse where you actually enhanced the flavor of the avocado. I can't wait to try it out when I am able to get sweet, ripe avocados in season! The peanut butter cookies were so easy to make with only 3 ingredients and using homemade peanut butter just makes them that much more special. I look forward to making them at home.
I really loved this video (The Rainbow Game) and this game idea! I have always heard that you should be eating a variety of colors, but when you put it in the idea of a game it makes it much more interesting and fun. I really enjoyed the recipes that were shown in this video. They all seemed pretty quick and simple (with exception to the pizza crust) and a great way to get your daily dose of color! I also like how the video touched on the idea of nutrient loss in the breakfast example. She mentioned how in flavored yogurts with fruits in them, you are not getting as many nutrients as you would with fresh fruit. So an easy alternative is to instead get plain yogurt and add your desired fresh fruit and then some honey to sweeten it. I am currently in a class called “Exploring Sustainable Food Systems” where we have learned all about nutrient losses. As soon as the fruit or vegetable is cut from the vine, it begins to die and lose nutrients. Therefore, if it is thrown into yogurt and packaged up, it is much less nutrient dense then if you were to buy it from the store or farmers market and eat it right away. The whole idea of eating variety can sometimes be tricky, especially if you are really obsessed with a certain recipe or food, but it is very important to get the different nutrients from the different colors on a daily basis. I also liked when she talked about how we need to focus on what we should eat rather than what we shouldn’t eat, because when we do this we will be filled up on nutrients that we won’t want to eat anything else. -Kayla Robbins
Just finished the Sweet Snacks video and I was very impressed with how someone can make still eat "snacks" but at the same time still be healthy. Having a sweet tooth myself, It has been a challenge to find a healthy snack that I can truly enjoy. Many berries and nuts can satisfy ones cravings vs. the alternative junk food. Also avocados can be very satisfying and healthy. Watching her make the peanut butter was very intriguing because of the ingredients that were used. Before watching this, i didn't know it was possible to have healthy versions of your favorite snacks. Cookies are one of my treasured treats, so watching the peanut butter cookies be made, made me want to jump up and follow the recipe! Moving forward I want to make a better effort to using some sustainable ingredients to make healthier snack options that I can enjoy!
Hi Libby! I just finished watching your "Sweet Snacks" video and all i can say is, I am craving some popcorn! Before watching this video i was under the impression that popcorn was genetically modified. I was accustomed to the comfort of movie theater pop corn and microwave popcorn because the process seemed less time consuming but i didn't question the unhealthy ingredients until now. Thank you for the informative video on how i can prepare a healthy snack such as pop corn by preparing it with healthier oils in a short amount of time. I will more effort in finding snacks that are more sustainable for the environment and also enjoyable for my taste buds. This past year i've been reflecting on my sugar intake because i am a huge fan of sweets but now i am looking forward to replacing white sugar and making desserts for the holidays with healthier ingredients that are less detrimental for my health and the environment.
Hi Libby! I just finished watching your "Sweet Snacks" video and all i can say is, I am craving some popcorn! Before watching this video i was under the impression that popcorn was genetically modified. I was accustomed to the comfort of movie theater pop corn and microwave popcorn because the process seemed less time consuming but i didn't question the unhealthy ingredients until now. Thank you for the informative video on how i can prepare a healthy snack such as pop corn by preparing it with healthier oils in a short amount of time. I will more effort in finding snacks that are more sustainable for the environment and also enjoyable for my taste buds. This past year i've been reflecting on my sugar intake because i am a huge fan of sweets but now i am looking forward to replacing white sugar and making desserts for the holidays with healthier ingredients that are less detrimental for my health and the environment. Ocean Spikes
Wow, I love the “Sweet Snacks” episode. I have a sweet tooth and I will always want something sweet when at I am at school or even at home. However, the sweets that I usually munch on are junk food and refined sugars like candies, cookies, ice cream and more. Of course, I realized that is not the best snack to munch on but after watching this episode it encouraged me to create a better and healthier alternative like the peanut butter cookies with cacao or replacing whipped cream from the store to making coconut whipped cream at home. I also love the idea that people can support and protect the environment by purchasing and consuming foods from the local farm markets. This episode taught me that you can still enjoy your favorite treats in a healthier and more sustainable way. These treats would be perfect for parties and little get-togethers with friends and families. It also taught me understand the importance of sustainable eating, I would like to share this information to my friends and family.
I love that you used Lazy Acres in your video since I’ve actually been there multiple times and I like it there. I never knew that there was a difference in air chilled versus water chilled and its good to know that Lazy Acres prefers the better quality way. I plan on only buying organic and pasture raised poultry if it's available from now on. I’m not too big on chicken and prefer to eat seafood but my mom loves chicken so I wanted to learn about it. I’m going to show my mom this video so she can get a better understanding as to why organic pasture-raised poultry is better. I never realized how many times I should be paying attention to sanitize everything I use with raw meat. I had never heard of brining before this video either. I’ve never learned this much about cooking before and I think this should be taught at least in high school.
I just watched episode seven, “Fun Fresh Snacks” and I am so happy to watch a video like this! I love any food that is quick and easy, and snacks are so perfect for me. I especially enjoyed the simplicity and ease that came with the dips (the onion dip is my favorite thing ever). I found it so interesting to learn that the darker parts of the avocado contain more nutrients than the lighter parts. This is a such a nice, handy tip when grocery shopping for greens. It makes the choice to choose a darker green, such as kale, over a lighter green, such as iceberg lettuce, so much easier. Thank you for all of your helpful tips and I will defiantly be attempting to recreate some of these recipes in the near future. - Tess Morales
The sweet snack video was my favorite of the bunch because I love to SNACK! Now in my own kitchen I am thinking are my ingredients sustainable? Sure they might be vegetables and chicken and various spices, but are they good for me and the environment? I as well eat a lot of snacks off of the shelf and discovering that even the nutrients that are their I am not receiving because of the preservatives and salt being used in them. Is kosher salt a good salt? I too have heard many misconceptions when it comes to avocadoes and nuts so I appreciate the clarification this video gave me. Walnuts are not only a better alternative to walnuts, but they are also sustainable. Almonds are not in class I learn that it takes one gallon of water to process one Almond and if milk is made the process is even costlier to the environment. I was unaware of the Avocado having a nutrient dense part compared to other parts that was surprising to me. I also had never thought to bake my chips I would have thought that they would not get crisp, but now I will bake instead of fry. Also the point where Libby said it is better to freeze sustainable food than too eat off the shelves is really processing with me because I never have time to make every meal because of how mobile my life is between work and school. Meal prepping would be a lot easier this way, in class sustainability is talked about a lot. If you begin cooking sustainable snacks and meals you will reduce waist and support local food growers and ranchers who use sustainable practices. It goes beyond what goodness you are putting into your body. Grace Ferguson
The fun fresh snack video was my favorite of the bunch because I love to SNACK! Now in my own kitchen I am thinking are my ingredients sustainable? Sure they might be vegetables and chicken and various spices, but are they good for me and the environment? I as well eat a lot of snacks off of the shelf and discovering that even the nutrients that are their I am not receiving because of the preservatives and salt being used in them. Is kosher salt a good salt? I too have heard many misconceptions when it comes to avocadoes and nuts so I appreciate the clarification this video gave me. Walnuts are not only a better alternative to walnuts, but they are also sustainable. Almonds are not in class I learn that it takes one gallon of water to process one Almond and if milk is made the process is even costlier to the environment. I was unaware of the Avocado having a nutrient dense part compared to other parts that was surprising to me. I also had never thought to bake my chips I would have thought that they would not get crisp, but now I will bake instead of fry. Also the point where Libby said it is better to freeze sustainable food than too eat off the shelves is really processing with me because I never have time to make every meal because of how mobile my life is between work and school. Meal prepping would be a lot easier this way, in class sustainability is talked about a lot. If you begin cooking sustainable snacks and meals you will reduce waist and support local food growers and ranchers who use sustainable practices. It goes beyond what goodness you are putting into your body. Grace Ferguson
I just watched the Fun Fresh Snacks video and let me just say how surprised I was to find out there is a healthier way to make onion dip! I snack throughout the day, but It is nice to know that there are healthy alternatives to some ingredients. From this video, I will try to use Himalayan salt or sea salt instead of table salt because it is not processed. I would love to try all these dips, but recently I have been allergic reactions to food that have citrus, dairy, and onion. Hopefully, I can find alternatives to these! With my dairy allergy, I have made the switch to oat milk. I learned that there are other options to choose from, but oat milk is the most sustainable. In my sustainable foods class, I learned that it takes at least, if not more, than one gallon to clean/process a single almond!
I watched the episode "Farm to Table Freshness". I really enjoyed the plethora of learning topics that was inputted into the video. It touched on eating the rainbow, how to properly wash your produce and the effects it has on the produce. My favorite part of the video was listening to the farmers at the farmers market. Their confidence they portrayed when answering the questions was really refreshing. Typically, when you ask vendors questions about their food products they either ignore you or are extremely hesitant in their answer. I am currently taking a class called "Exploring Sustainable Food Systems" and one of the topics that has stuck with me the most is nutrient losses. As mentioned in the video, as soon as the fruit or vegetable is cut from the vine before it's ripe and it begins to lose nutrients and die. This practice typically happens with the produce we find in grocery stores. They do this with the idea that, after the 4 or 5 days the produce is in shipment to the stores, it should ripened by the time it gets on the shelves for purchasing. After watching this video I will definitely be going to more farmer's markets and asking more questions about their food.
Martin Hamm Libby’s Kitchen 09- Sweet Snacks 3-17-2020
This video about alternative sweet snacks to make was very informational and after viewing it I was curious and anxious to try one of the recipes. It was very interesting to learn about how even the treats can be made and produced in a nutritious manner. Making the popcorn reminded me about how my father used to prepare it on the stove, so I was already familiar with the process. So now all I have to do is substitute my non-nutritious ingredients such as butter from a cow for the likes of avocado oil or coconut oil. In general it is important to have a healthy balance between nutrient dense foods that we need and items that we enjoy that may not have any beneficial value. It is rewarding to learn that there are alternative ways in which to splurge on something that might not be the healthiest of choices. The organic popcorn with the cacao blend with the nuts was an interesting choice to movie theatre popcorn that is made in the microwave. I plan to use some of the items introduced by Dr. Gustin to transform the ways in which I make my sweet treats. Healthy alternatives are always beneficial knowing that the usual processed food that I indulge in can be made with a healthier twist. The peanut butter cookies with homemade peanut butter will be attempted as well. The freezing before baking is something that caught my attention. I am glad that I have learned alternate ways to create snacks that I can eat without feeling guilty afterwards.
Hi Libby, This is Mikayla Garcia here and I just watched the episode “Grains & Beans” and found it highly interesting and informative. I have been vegan for around three years now and rely heavily on beans and grains to complete my meals, happily I’d like to add! As of now I had been buying my beans canned and my rice in boxes if not frozen and ready to be microwaved. Intuitively that didn’t feel right. For one, the environmental impact of continuously buying beans and rice out of containers stacks up. It is literally visible in my trash can. While canned beans and boxed grains are convenient, bin beans and grains are less expensive. As Sebastion said you are buying quality and quantity. If you eat as many beans and grains as me that is important. In my class at Cal State University Long Beach, Exploring Sustainable Food Systems we discussed how most children today would not be able to tell you where food comes from beyond the grocery store nor are children able to name certain food varieties. I thought about that a lot and found myself being stumped on where beans come from (just to put that into perspective I am 21 and almost graduating college??????). Working at Organic Harvest in North Long beach, an urban garden that provides local food to restaurants, I finally discovered where beans come from. It is a tree, if you didn’t know like myself. I figure the less my food is touched by companies and the less steps taken before I purchase them the more nutritional they will be. I’ve been dying to get my hands on some loose grains and beans but have been struggling with what to do next. This video couldn’t have come at a better time! I’ll be sure to check the food safety of the location in which I am purchasing my beans and follow the proper steps to soak and boil them to strip them of the natural protection of the seed. I might even try fermenting because my friend just started working at a fermentation store. Can’t wait!
Eating all of the colors of the rainbow seems like the easiest way to "trick" your brain into being healthy. I consistently think about this when determining what to eat, as it's a simple way to ensure you are getting all of the right nutrients. For instance, when you eat fast food, typically the color palette there is quite bland. To me, this immediately becomes unappetizing. However, like you discussed in your video "The Rainbow Game" something as easy as a yogurt parfait with nuts and strawberries is much more nutrient dense (and fun to look at). Hopefully more people adopt this strategy after watching your video! - Gabrielle Nelson
Eating the rainbow has always seemed like a sure fire way to make sure you are eating a variety of foods and providing your body with all the nutrients it needs to function. Most people get very stuck in their routine and end up eating the same things day in and day out, like growing up I used to eat broccoli and carrots every day, while clearly that’s not horrible for me I was missing out on all the important available nutrients in red or purple foods. I found it very interesting that Dr. Gustin started talking about the over importance of eating green a ton because of the availability type of its vitamins and nutrients being water soluble vs. fat soluble. Which that basically means that the nutrients in fat soluble foods like red or orange items will be stored in your fat tissues and stay in your system a lot longer versus green foods that have water soluble vitamins that are more easily flushed through our system with water.
Julie Espinoza Blog Response to Episode: Soup and Crackers
You will want to watch this episode not once, but twice! Like me. I recalled watching this episode a month ago, and it inspired me to make homemade hummus. Now, recently browsing Libby Sustainable Kitchen video titles, I came back to this title. What drew my eye was the word “Soup”. In todays, recent Co-Vid19 Pandemic, soup sounds plentiful. I thought this was a new episode! But it was the same one. Trust me, you get more info out of repeating and viewing episodes again.
This time, it was refreshing my mind, and my agenda watching this episode it became quite clear. Not only is sustainability good for the environment, but its good on the wallet. Repurposing food, and left-over especially during a Pandemic crisis is crucial! I’ll say it again, is crucial! To all of the above, and our food supply.
It will become evident to you to when you learn you can take your beans, blend them into a soup, or a nice dip, (which makes beans very versatile).
You’ll realize more you can do with plain ol’ rice. Like taking left over rice from the other night and making a pie crust.
Folks, this is the band wagon we all need to be on. Recipes and Ingredients to re purpose. And going about on this wagon with fresh sustainable produce and products will promote so much for your body, mind, spirit, community, and planet!
I watched episode 10: Meat and Seafood. When buying meat, it is important to find grass raised organic animals because you have to remember what they eat is what you eat in order to gain a full nutrient profile. There is no herbicides or pesticides Sustainably sourced seafood; marine or freshwater are species that have been harvested but it does not harm the future stock of species. They are good for us now and also good for us in the future. Since bison is leaner and produces less oil, I might go and look for that the next time I go to the store. The taste is very similar I’ve tried it before, but I don’t cook much at home so learning how to alter recipes and cook the freshest ingredients will be a little difficult. - Michael Iskander
I just watched "Re-purposing Leftovers" because I'm generally left with a lot of leftover foods like bell peppers, beans, and spinach. I loved the creativity in the video and it helped me think of ways that I can re-purpose certain foods to be like others, like the bean dip similar to hummus. I also really appreciated the segment at the beginning of the video about the urban farm. After volunteering at an urban farm a few times, I think it's important to inform the community on what it takes to grow produce and how accessible it really can be.
I watched episode 05: Herbs and Sauces. I always drink a lot of water and sometimes it can get a little bland for me. After seeing how you muddle the mint and then mix it with water, I am really going to give this a try along with other herbs and fruits such as oranges to mix into my water so that it can taste better. I use sauces a lot in my meals so that it can taste better and after watching this video, I want to prepare my own sauces from scratch instead of buying it from the supermarket. I now see that making your own sauces and dips from scratch using organic ingredients can be so beneficial instead of buying it from the market. I am a fan favorite of beef stroganoff and one of the ingredients is a cream of mushroom soup and I can not stop drooling over incorporating your recipe for cream of mushroom soup into beef stroganoff!
Hi Libby! I love that you are utilizing the whole chicken in episode seven by making a nutrient bone broth that you could also store in your freezer. I am the type of person who loves soup and always craves it, so having bone broth stocked in your freezer is such a resourceful idea! Not to mention, it also will save you a lot of time for the future. This is a great way to let your body digest all the collagen, glucosamine, and other beneficial supplements that your body needs for stability and a healthy glow. I didn’t know that soaking faro in vinegar is a solvent to remove phytic acid on seeds, I will definitely use this technique for the next time I prep faro in order to obtain all the proper minerals it offers, like iron and zinc. I also really love the tip you mentioned about storing your asparagus in a cup of water like a bouquet of flowers, by doing this the asparagus' freshness is prolonged! I’ve never even thought about making my own crackers from scratch and I am so excited to try this recipe. This episode is all about nutrients, flavor, and having a sustainable mind in the kitchen. I loved learning about all the nutritional information and great cooking tips! Thank you {: -Chloe Goings
Just finished watching the “Meat and Seafood” episode, as someone who eats a lot of meat and seafood I found it very informative. I always leaned toward buying the freshly prepared meat and seafood as I figured they were better in quality; was glad to have my assumption confirmed. I did not know that the time table to freeze the food was a couple days. Have always just cooked all of the food then saved the leftovers for the next day so that’s something I will definitely use going forward. I’m always looking for new fresh dishes in additional to more ways to cook meat and seafood. So, seeing the shrimp being used in soup is something I only saw at restaurants, after seeing it firsthand I’m interested in how all those flavors and texture in the soup taste. Really enjoyed how all the ingredients are not only healthy and fresh but are also in the highest quality possible as I can really taste the difference on certain foods and meals
Juliet Mosby I watched the Soups and Crackers video. I love making soups, anytime it gets slightly chilly my go to meal is a soup (or stew). Like it was said in the video you can get collagen, vitamin and minerals in broths and soups. Using fresh, organic produce will ensure you are getting nutrient dense meals. Crackers are one of those food items iv never made myself. One of the benefits of preparing your own food, is knowing exactly what it is you are eating. Versus purchasing process foods, they are filled with high levels of sodium and sugar as well as having many preservatives to extend their shelf life. Seeing how easy they (crackers) are to make it is something that I could bake at home.
I just got done with sweet snacks and I found it interesting because I always seem to be snacking when I shouldn't. The thing I noticed about snacks is that I tend to write them off of my daily total and can often eat too many of them without noticing. I think incorporating things like walnuts into solutions is a good idea because of their omega 3 content. It is a good way to bypass not eating enough fish, or is perfect for people who don't eat meat. I also like how you brought up the good fats in the avocado as well, as the fat content is the reason most people choose not to eat them (as well as walnuts). Overeating them could be a problem but that is true for just about anything, and the negatives of not having a good source of unsaturated fats in the diet outweigh the false negatives that they will cause you to become overweight.
WOW, I am so glad I was given the chance to watch the Fresh Snacks video because it was so informative. To begin with, I learned that the snacks I am consuming regularly are likely made with oils that are not fresh and the salts used are not animal processed. A sustainable kitchen is one that practices safer and healthier ways of cooking that are good for the environment and our bodies. The way we prepare food in a sustainable kitchen and dispose of it, will be better for us and the environment as well. Instead of consuming many fattening snacks with so many additives, we can just look into our kitchen and find fresh ingredients to make dips for example. I found the walnut dip, a middle eastern dish, to be intriguing and easy to make because it only involves walnuts, a red pepper paste, lemon juice and olive oil. You have to be careful when chopping the nuts because you may be left with a paste similar to peanut butter. The walnut dip has a certain texture so you must be careful when mixing all the ingredients together slowly. This dish is high in omega 3 and includes healthy fats. Secondly, I also enjoyed learning how to make onion dip because I am more likely to find an onion in my kitchen than walnuts when I am craving a healthy snack. You begin by grating the onion to retain as much juice because it is essential for the flavor. Another key ingredient is the culture cream that contains a lot of probiotics, good bacteria for our bodies. Lastly, the avocado dip is one I will for sure make because I always have fresh avocados in my kitchen. I am Mexican, so guacamole is a big part in many of my dinners. The most nutrients in an avocado are on the sides by the skin so you must be careful when cutting them open. They have great fatty acids, have more potassium than a banana and will help with digestion. They also carry many antioxidants that are essential in our diets. Many of these dishes are extremely easy to make with ingredients that are more than likely already in your kitchen so you don't have to go out of your way to purchase them. They can be enjoyed with chips with fresh oil, himalayan salt and a sprouted grain tortilla. Baking the chips will be a healthier option than frying. There are many ways to enjoy these dips other than tortillas as well. You can enjoy them with celery, cabbage and any other fresh ingredient in your refrigerator. I thoroughly enjoyed this video because it teaches you simple dips that people consume daily but with a healthier twist. This has inspired me to think of my favorite snack next time I am hungry, and find a healthier alternative to make it. Using a more fresh and sustainable source will give us the maximum nutrients we need in our diets. Why not enjoy our favorite snacks while treating our body the best possible way it deserves. Having a sustainable foundation, ingredients, will not only protect our bodies, but the environment as well. This video teaches the importance of fresh diets. -Marcos Mena
Great tips! It seems as though variety and quality are key here. In my own personal experience, I typically end up purchasing similar ingredients because they are familiar, and I enjoy the flavor. But after watching this video I realized I might be missing out on nutrients that come from eating a variety of ingredients. In the near future I plan to source more ingredients from a local Farmer’s Market, that way I might get more variety in my diet. I also found the section regarding proper cleaning of produce to be quite informative. I never knew you could wash your produce in a light vinegar/water solution to preserve its freshness. This video made me think more about the criteria by which we select ingredients to purchase. Then I remembered an organization that we learned about in Chapter 1 regarding sustainability and food, the organization is called The Slow Food Movement; a worldwide organization dedicated to the preservation of local farmers and food producers. I think The Slow Food Movement defined it best, “Good: quality, flavorsome, and healthy; Clean: production that does not harm the environment; and Fair: accessible prices for consumers and fair conditions.”
Not only was it informative but very entertaining. A point that stood out to me was the oil created to make our snacks. Majority of the time it’s not fresh for us to consume. On top of that they put ingredients that are processed. Like it was mentioned in the video the best way to fix this issue is to make it at home. We can have more control on what is going inside of our body, and how we control our waste. Making snacks at home can increase the diversity of nutrients that is needed for the body. Not only by just eating high protein food but irons such as Spinach. This will overall limit the waste we create because we can reuse food that we thought had limited purpose. Also, by not buying products that are premade which can expire quickly. Next time I'm thinking about snacking I will google an at home recipe for food diversity.
I chose this episode because I’m always craving something to munch on and I typically find my way to the pantry and grab something that’s processed and not healthy. I’ve always ate microwavable popcorn so I really found this recipe interesting. It’s one that I will for sure have to try myself. The one thing that I do love is the fact that its sweet and savory and that all the ingredients are healthy for you. I’ve always wanted to try and make popcorn from kernel so I’m honestly really excited for this one. I did not know that the corn from popcorn is not genetically modified so that’s awesome to know, but I think from now on I’m going to contribute in saving the environment by making it from scratch. Just curious though, when you first started to make popcorn, did you ever burn the sauce topping? I interned for half a year with Ground Education which is a non-profit that goes to local elementary schools in Long Beach who have gardens and they teach the kids about gardening, the process of farm to table, etc. and I learned that cacao is healthier than if you were eating milk chocolate. I sampled 3 types of chocolate covered strawberries and the 100% cacao flavor was my favorite. One thing that I like about your cooking videos is that you tend to stick with seasonal foods so that really helps with sustaining a healthy, nutritious diet and lifestyle.
The trick to not burning the sauce is use low heat and stir it. It melts pretty fast (3-5 minutes) and then you can turn off the heat until it cools to warm or room temperature. Also, when making popcorn from kernel, once it starts to pop, you need to keep shaking the pot so it does not burn. Here is a handy stainless steel popcorn pot. https://www.amazon.com/Cook-Home-02627-Stainless-Stovetop/dp/B07PPD975X/ref=psdc_1090764_t2_B01DOF8Y78
I enjoyed the "Meat and Seafood" episode so much! It was interesting to learn that even though you can buy grass fed meats that doesn't mean they aren't sprayed with pesticides. Also was glad to learn that I should only freeze fresh meats and seafood for up to 1-2 days. I am someone that does eat a quite a lot of animal protein and shocking to know that I've been doing it wrong all these years. Plus, on top of that, I got two free recipes that looked great. I might have to give them a try!
Just to clarify, you should only freeze fresh meat after 1-2 days. As it gets older it is not fresh enough to freeze. You can keep it frozen for many months. However, home freezer will freeze meat to slow and it will impact the texture of meat. Commercial blast freezers will freeze meat in seconds preserving the quality and nutrients better than a home freezer.
Adam Bernacchi Farm to Table Freshness I really enjoyed the “Farm to Table Freshness” episode of Libby’s Sustainable Kitchen. Before this video, I had no idea that there was an awesome Farmer’s Markets right here in Long Beach. I think local systems for buying food is one of the most important steps to sustainability because people can actually talk to the producers and ask the important questions. If people were able to ask the same kinds of questions to major food producers (given they are honest and tell the truth) I do not think many people would still choose to consume their products. Farmers markets in my opinion really hold up the ideals of the triple bottom line finding that balance between the health of the people and the land as well as still making a profit. I also really loved how all the produce is picked vine ripe, because a lot of times producers will pick produce before it is ripe so that it does not go bad during transport. However, this means that the food did not get the full time it needed to develop its nutrients, and is not as healthy. As far as the cooking portion goes, I was happy to learn that drying produce keeps it fresh longer because that is something I have struggled with in the past. Using environmentally friendly cleaners is another thing that struck me because I have never thought about it in the past, but it makes so much sense. Cleaners that we use in our kitchen surround our food and can easily contaminate it. If I don’t want farmers to use harmful chemicals to produce my food why would I do it to myself?
Popcorn is one of my favorite and go-to snacks. I usually add butter and sprinkle some salt when I want a quick snack. To make it sweet and savory, I use butter, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and a little bit of salt. I did not know that popcorn is not genetically modified. In that case, I’ll keep on snacking! Last night, I made a midwestern staple sweet “snack” called Scotcharoos and instantly regretted it once I started mixing in the… corn syrup! Although corn syrup is a product of corn, it is not made naturally. Now that I think of the consistency, texture, and flavor of it, I am getting a little queasy. I have been looking for sweetener alternatives to try and I think sucanat on my popcorn will be my next experiment. When my cortisol levels increase, so do my cravings for sugar. Libby mentioned that these ingredients still contain sugar and that “it is important we consume it in moderation.” Due in part that these recipes are made with whole food ingredients, our bodies will be more satiated, therefore, we will feel full and our cravings will subside from the serving we treat ourselves to. As Americans, we are known as “overindulgers.” With that being said, we need to do the best we can to keep our hearts healthy, and taste buds satisfied.
Navneel I really enjoyed watching the “sweet snacks” video! I love snacking throughout the day, however, I never realized that although I am putting food in my body, there is hardly any nutritional value in the processed snacks. Libby did a great job of explaining her recipes thoroughly as well as where she bought her products. This video was very informative on how we can make homemade products while getting so much more nutritional value and lead a sustainable life by not buying processed food that are harming not only us but the environment as well. Watching this I realized there are better and healthier options for snacks that I can enjoy. By applying these healthy habits such as making your own pop corn at home not only is a lot cheaper, it is better for the environment. By providing our body the proper nutrition it needs, we won’t have such craving for processed snacks which will lead to a more sustainable lifestyle.
I had to watch the video myself! Snacking is something we find comfort in, and I believe that is how it should be. However, we can become addicted to snacking and it can easily and dangerously be consumed with empty calories and become rewards to our bodies, without paying attention how nutritional it is to our bodies. I think we should all find ways to expand our palette to new food that is both sustainable and healthy.
I absolutely loved the episode on Rainbow Game. This might be a silly concept at first, however, like Libby said, it will help you learn how to integrate all colors in your diet without thinking about it the future. I enjoyed watching Libby make very simple recipes and be amazingly resourceful. I also appreciated how she acknowledged the fact that her ingredients were fresh with no added sugars, such as the yogurt. She encourages to sweeten the yogurt on your own with honey, agave, or maple syrup. This will reduce the amount of processed sugar we intake with added sugars and sweetened fruits. This episode ties in with with being sustainable in using all foods available and working with them to create dishes throughout the day without being wasteful of produce.
I absolutely loved the episode on Rainbow Game. This might be a silly concept at first, however, like Libby said, it will help you learn how to integrate all colors in your diet without thinking about it the future. I enjoyed watching Libby make very simple recipes and be amazingly resourceful. I also appreciated how she acknowledged the fact that her ingredients were fresh with no added sugars, such as the yogurt. She encourages to sweeten the yogurt on your own with honey, agave, or maple syrup. This will reduce the amount of processed sugar we intake with added sugars and sweetened fruits. This episode ties in with with being sustainable in using all foods available and working with them to create dishes throughout the day without being wasteful of produce.
I learned so much after watching Fun Fresh Snacks! From the start of the episode, I already was able to realize that the snacks I eat off the shelf from stores are probably not healthy for me because of the oils that are used. The oils used in packaged snacks absorb the good nutrients and prevent your body from taking in any other nutrients which I found fascinating. The recipes included in this episode were very informative and fun to watch. The facts about how the avocado is healthy for someone was a simple but great learning experience. The final product of all the snacks were so colorful and looked very delicious. It's also a huge bonus knowing the ingredients used were fresh and healthy to eat. -Julie Le
I think it is really amazing to learn how simple and quick snacks can be made without that much effort. On top of that, the snacks were all healthy and full of nutrients that help boost metabolism as well. It is important to know that all of our foods can be used to make other items so they do not go to waste. America is losing up to 40% of food produced. Produce is not aesthetically optimal, best-before date, unused edible food or leftovers discarded from households and eating establishments. While watching this video, it is nice to know that every little ingredient counts and can be put to good use so that it does not get wasted. Sara Villalobos –Food Sustainability
Bailey M. Repurposing Leftovers I am a huge fan of supporting local farms and farmers. It's nice to know my money is going to good food for my body as well as supporting local families and communities. I love all the repurposing food recipes. I myself am working on repurposing food. I buy a lot of produce so some can go bad faster than I can get to it. It's fun to see food that would go in the trash, to be made into a meal or snack that everyone can enjoy. I would love to visit farms more to get a refreshed memory on where and how my food grows. It's easy to forget when I am making a trip to the grocery store multiple times a week. This video is a great reminder that time and thought is important when in the kitchen. We can improve our health and environment so much as a community when we share and inspire one another with ideas.
I very much enjoyed episode 5 herbs and sauces! I love ranch, I literally eat ranch with almost everything! Super cool how you go over how to make it at home, and explaining the difference between a dip and a dressing was great! I also was intrigued by the other sauces, it seems like a great way to add some flavor and extra nutrients to any meal! The use of herbs was very insightful because I normally just use salt and pepper when I cook. The fact that you encourage your viewers to try new things and make mistakes because it’s apart of learning was also very nice, because cooking can be intimidating at times. - April Clavel
After watching episode 1, Farm to Table Freshness, I really enjoyed the whole concept of this video. From what I gathered was to truly show how much better fresher products are compared to that of products that are not. I also enjoyed the interviews with the people at the farmer’s market as they helped me understand the difference between fresh products versus products sold in supermarkets. Lastly, I really enjoyed watching the cooking portion of the video as I now know how to make a fresh and delicious-looking salad and salad dressing. - Josue Ortega
I watched the Grains and Beans video. It was very informative, and I liked how you chose to go to a store where they carried a wide variety of organic items that were available in different forms, such as: Packaged, in bins, and canned. Each having a different price point, some that already had ingredients that flavored the beans, and others that let you know exactly where they were from and their nutritional values. I think its important to have this information when trying to be sustainable and eat organically sourced foods. I also enjoyed where she prepared the foods, something that was new to me is that grains and beans have a protective layer that can keep us from absorbing its nutritional values such as magnesium and zinc. I will definitely be soaking my grains and beans from here on out. Another thing I learned was mixing grains and beans is a well rounded meal, and you wouldn't need meat. You could get all the nutritional value you needed from mixing those items together and adding a few vegetables to it as well. Micky Hernandez
I love these videos! They are so informative and so fun! Sweet snacks can have nutrients in them! This is what I need. I don’t have a sweet tooth too often, but when I do, I REALLY have one. I love eating homemade popcorn starting with the kernels and cooking them in a pan. I grew up on popcorn like this and I remember how excited my brother and I would get when my dad made it. Even at a young, young age, my brother and I could taste the difference. I didn’t know that a fat that can’t stand high heat is helpful… like ghe. If I have a sweet tooth, I’ll make homemade organic, gluten-free, dairy-free blueberry, oat muffins. Making sweets out of healthy alternatives with only a few ingredients eases my mind in knowing exactly what I am eating. Thanks for these cool recipes and tips! I cannot wait to try.
I just watched the video on Beans and Grains and it was super informative. As someone who is not vegan, but trying to lessen my meat consumption, I truly enjoyed this post. I am aware that many vegans resort to beans and grains in their diet to get nutrients and now I am more educated on them. I also had no idea about the shelf life of beans and grains, nor how to cook beans yourself. I found it super interesting that you can put a little piece of seaweed in the pot while cooking beans to help the cooking process, I would have never guessed that. I typically eat rice for my grain, but am going to go buy different quinoa to test out as well. I will also be buying in bulk rather than packaging. Learning that beans and grains have a protective layer is also changing the way I prepare my food now. - Carly Sterbentz
I also found the beans and grains video very informative. Who knew that these foods have to be soaked and cooked a specific time and way to release their maximum nutrient potential. I found it pretty incredible that our ancestors knew how to cook them a certain way to achieve that, and it makes me wonder why not many people, including me, knew about this way of cooking them. This really makes me question our education about the food we prepare and consume.
I found meat and seafood to be a very enjoyable video! It was very informative, i know much more about the background of the meat between conventional, grass fed, and organic grass fed. Before watching I thought there was only such things as grass fed and that meant they did not use pesticides. Now I’m aware that there is a difference and that there is more than one type of grass fed beef or meat. Organic being the healthiest option. the type of nutrition/food our meat has consumed in the past is very important because that reflects the nutrition we receive in our body as well. If previous animals have consumed chemicals and toxins it is very likely that those will transfer into our body. I will only consume grass fed organic meat from now on, it is only a matter of finding a place that sells it, which shouldn’t be so hard to find. Thanks to this video I’m more inform on another food product I consume.
Shawn Chait Responding to the "Meat and Seafood" video entry.
I am personally a huge fan of meat, and I have paid little to no attention to where my meat comes from, nor what they eat. After watching this and other similar videos I am finding out a lot more about why those things actually matter to me and my health. One thing that I find surprising, is that I never made this connection myself. This is because I am a firm believer in the statement “you are what you eat”, but I never even took the time to think about that ringing true for my food sources as well. Now that I know that most of the meat I eat in my diet is essentially corn, it explains a lot about why my nutrition isn’t as good as it should be even when I feel I am “eating right”. I am absolutely going to make a change to eating animal sources that are fed a proper diet. Another thing I didn’t realize is that you have to eat meat within 2 days of purchase. Luckily based on other recent changes to my eating and shopping habits, this won’t be a problem for me in the future. I’m really enjoying the things I am learning by watching these videos and reading the blog entries here.
Episode 9: Sweet Snacks Watching this episode made me see that indeed, it is important that we get nutrients from snacks. I am definitely a big snacker which is why I was very interested in seeing how I could stray away from the highly processed and high sugar snacks that I was consuming and move towards healthier alternatives. It was interesting to learn how white sugar is very processed and with no nutrients. I had never heard of Sucanat before, but after seeing this cooking episode I know I definitely have to try it. The popcorn with the sweet topping looks so delicious and is a great alternative. It was amazing to see that Libby makes her own peanut butter. Hearing the negatives of jarred store peanut butter such as added sugars, unknown fats, and the usage of the least fresh peanuts has made me want to make my own peanut butter. What is the recipe for the homemade peanut butter used in the peanut butter cookie recipe? It looks delicious as well as when paired with the cookies. All these recipes are incredible and make me want to spend more time in my own kitchen making them with my family. -Veronica Perez
Replying to Episode 2: Grains and Beans I love beans and grains in meals, however I have always been intimidated cooking them because they never seem to come out right when I make them myself. This episode was so informative, because not only did I learn about maximizing nutrients consumed when eating beans or grains, but I also learned how to properly cook them. I like the idea of buying in bulk because of less packaging, making it a more environmentally friendly choice, and also it’s more economical for my budget. I love how beans can be a substitute for a protein in a meal, if I want to eat a meatless meal.
I really like this episode because it provides a lot of information. Especially, an interesting online tour at Farmers Market at the Marina, Long Beach, California. After watching this video, I learned many great tips on how to properly wash, cut, and preserve vegetables. Interestingly, when mixed 1 part of vinegar and 3 parts of water to wash vegetables will remove the invisible bacteria and preserve the freshness of the vegetables. Also, inedible vegetable leftovers can be saved for composting. The seeds from the tomatoes and bell peppers are kept for planting in your yard. The use of spinner salads is useful because it dries out the vegetables more quickly than they dry naturally. It's interesting to know how cutting the carrot affects its taste and there's no need to peel off the skin once it's been rinsed with a vinegar and water solution. Before watching this video, I usually end up buying similar ingredients as they are familiar and I like the taste. But after watching this video, I realized that I might be missing out on the nutrients that come from eating a variety of ingredients. This video made me think more about the criteria by which we choose materials to buy. Then, I remember an organization we already know in Chapter 1, which is about sustainability and food, called the Slow Food Movement - a worldwide organization dedicated to the conservation of local farmers and food producers. -Ai Nhi M. Nguyen.
I think that eating the different colors of food is something that most people do not pay attention to, and it is probably something that contributes to the obesity epidemic. We as a society are more focused on eating food that is quick and tastes good, as opposed to food that has the nutrients that are extremely important. The game that has been created seems to me to be a creative way for people, especially young children, to fall into a habit of eating the different colors of the rainbows and all of the essential nutrients. This video showed me a variety of different recipes and ways to incorporate the “rainbow” into my diet. It was also interesting and reiterated the idea that the differences in the kinds of food, cooked or uncooked and the different colors can give different nutrients when they are cooked or uncooked, fresh, or frozen. It was also interesting that there was a wide variety of things being made, not just salad and greens, there are a different ways to modify the recipes for things like pizza crust, and make them better, with added protein and nutrients
Video 1: Farm to Table Freshness I enjoy this video about the food and products being sold at the farmer's market. It showed how the organically grown products were made and transferred to the market for consumers. Specifically, when Libby was interviewing one of the vegetable sellers, he explained that all his vegetables were grown without any chemicals and pesticides. The reason that he was able to keep all the pest and insects out of the products were simply using chilies, peppers, or vinegar to spray onto the vegetables. Afterward, all those sprayed products were washed – so that they won’t be sour or spicy – and ready to be sold in the farmer market. simple techniques like this can be implemented into larger-scale farming to avoid and reduce the amount of chemicals in our daily food diets. What is also great about this video are the cutting techniques on spices and ingredients that I might have already familiar with, but still useful for others to learn from such simple and short video.
Nicole Angel HM370- (Episode 6- Repurposing Leftovers) I enjoyed that the episode began with connecting the viewer to how growing produce begins, especially with how disconnecting we have become from our food system. My favorite activity is going to Underwood Family Farms, and pick my own produce. When I do that extra step of picking my own produce I use every part of my produce because I got to be connected with the effort that it takes to make the food I'm eating. Videos like these are really good to help people come up with ideas to repurpose their left overs. That's the hardest part of leftovers is just seeing the ingredients you have and coming up with an idea to make them into another meal. Luckily for myself I've always loved leftovers because they are so convenient. With just some practice I think anyone can get really good at repurposing leftovers in their own kitchen.
Nicole Angel HM370- (Episode 8- Fun Fresh Snacks) Being in university and having to deal with the chaos that is midterms, papers, labs, and so much more is overwhelming. Its very easy to become complacent with the food you put into your body. This video was a great way of exemplifying nutritious options that don't take very much time and are easily assessable to anyone. Nuts especially are a great source of protein and calories, for relatively cheap snack. I especially want to reiterate what Libby said that "not all fats are equal", not all fats are bad. In our society we go through different "diet phobias" , like in the 80's with sugar-free or the 90's with fat-free foods. This is a dangerous way of thinking because sugars and fats are necessary! Processed fats are bad, processed sugars are bad, but fats and sugars are not inherently bad for you. My favorite healthy snack is just tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The most important aspect to a diet is just eating a balanced diet or whole food. Libby perfectly points this out throughout this video.
I just watched “Meat and Seafood” and I thought the video was interesting. I learned a few new facts about meat and seafood. When it comes to being sustainable, I feel like meat and seafood can be a little more complicated than any other food that is grown. I enjoy eating meat and seafood, and I never pay attention on how that meat I bought was raised what diet it had. In the video the butcher went into detail on the difference between organic, grass feed, and conventional. I was surprised that even though the animal was raised “grass fed” it does not mean that the grass that the animal was eating still did not contain pesticides. The butcher in the video made the point that organic is the best quality meat you can get. I also learned that meat is supposed to be cooked no more than 48 hours after you buy it at a butcher shop. The meat that we get at the grocery store that is prepackaged and has a shelf life of almost 7 and is not the best meat to consume. Meat that is prepackaged tends to lose its nutrients and loses its true flavor during that time. I really enjoyed watching this video, and It made me open my eyes about the meat I buy and made me think twice on where I will buy my meat from.
Ngan Hong Episode 11: The Rainbow Game I am very interested with the rainbow game in this video. I know that it is important to eat a variety of natural food per day with enough serving size. However, I do not know what the eating rainbows are and how much to consume them daily. Through the video, five colorful foods are divided such as green, red, purple, yellow, and white. The game is much more attractive to me with the three different meals made with color fruits and vegetables. I really enjoyed in learning the new recipes, so now I can try to make them. The recipes are easy, simple. and convenient when we are busy for working and studying but have calories and nutrients instead of eating processed foods. I always make home-made yogurt eating with flaxseed and strawberries or blueberries without considering the serving size. Replacing the flavored yogurt by plain yogurt added with honey, it is a great idea that we can know how much the sweetness we consume and eat fresh fruits and nuts. Many products contain high fructose corn syrup which affected to health such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so we would control eating too much sugar in human diet. Studying in Exploring Sustainable Food System class, I learnt some principles of healthy diet of Fallon Sally that diets need to have high levels of enzyme and beneficial bacteria in food such as yogurt or fermented vegetables. We also should eat soaked sprouted and fermented nuts, grains, seeds, and legumes. More than that, some salts were used in all diets as the video shown cooking the Ratatouille. This game is very helpful for educating children who did not eat fruits and vegetables. If not, how do parents trick kids into eating vegetables?
The Sweet Snacks video was something I really enjoyed watching! As someone with sweet tooth, so it was interesting to see ways I can make sweet snacks that are healthier, curve my cravings, and protect the environment. I’m excited to make some of the snacks and use the tips on other recipes. Since store bought snacks tend to have an excessive amount of sugar and a lot of preservatives, it’s great to see snacks that contain less sugar and are made without preservatives. I really appreciate how she knows where all her ingredients comes from and her insight of the ingredients and how certain ingredients had health benefits. I’m looking forward to finding other sweet snacks made with whole and sustainable ingredients. Lilian Wang
I watched Episode Eight where Libby made “Fun Fresh Snacks”. She showed us how to make various types of dips like onion, walnut, and guac dip. These quick snacks are good for when you’re on the go and are better for you than other store bought snacks. By making these snacks yourself you know exactly what ingredients you are putting into your body, mass food production produces unhealthy snacks on our shelves without researching everything, It's hard to know what you are eating, which is why making the snack yourself is a great option. All of these snacks are a great alternative opposed to buying your own in-store dip. The dips and the homemade patties was an easy quick snack to make, usually my greatest excuse for eating badly is because I need something quick because I’m always on the go. But in the video Libby talked about storing extra for later and now you have a solution for a time efficient snack. It was a very easy video to follow and the facts about how to pick an avocado and the vitamins you get from walnuts made a lot of sense. I own a lot of these ingredients in my own home so it wouldn't be hard to try these recipes for myself.
After watching this episode, I have learned about soups and crackers. First of all, Dr. Libby introduced the bone broth. Bone broth is the broth made by bones and it contains many nutrients such as collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin. Also, chicken broth is more nutritious than other bones. To make a chicken soup, she used one pot and pour the broth into it. To make it healthier, adding more whole grain is more effective. In this case, she added Farro, the Italian ancient grain. So, the soup would be a little bit more chewy and hardly. Farro is soaked in vinegar for anti-nutrient subjects and adding more zinc. This making soup process takes about 40 min. After that, she added pieces of a chicken and waited for 5 - 10 min. Lastly, she added vegetables because cooking vegetables in long time would cause losing nutrients from them. From this recipe, I learned about bone broth is such a quick but important ingredient to use for soup since it contains multiple nutrients. Plus, you can add more such as whole grains and vegetables to compensate the insufficient nutrients. Therefore, this bone broth vegetable soup is a very intelligent way to do healthy diet.
Episode 1: I love visiting the Farmer's Market because I can trust that my food has been taken care of by people who are equally passionate about the importance of sustainable farming. My recent encounter with farm to fresh produce was during my trip to Trader Joe's, I noticed the store uses bee's wax to protect their apples. They also sell chemical free produce rinse to help prolong your veggie's freshness in the fridge. I unfortunately do not have a space to grow my own food, but I can always rely on ethical farmers to do it for me! I learned from this episode that the nutrients in farm to fresh produce are much better than what you typically see in a commercial grocery store. It made me think about how this can affect my health in the future.
I just watched the Sweet Snacks video and I cant wait to make my own popcorn! I have such a sweet tooth but I'm trying to watch how much sugar I consume. I usually use agave as my sweetener, and have never heard of sucanat before so I'm excited to try it out. I also didn't know that most corn is genetically modified so I will be sure to check the labels before I buy some at the store. Like Terri mentioned, genetically modified food can be dangerous because most of us don't second guess our produce at the store however, it is known to be poor for our health. Im happy to know now that popcorn isn't genetically modified, I will be enjoying this guilty-free snack soon!
I enjoyed episode 2 "Beans and Grains". It was so informative regarding the nutrient value depending on how you choose to purchase your beans and grains. I will typically buy canned for the convenience, but after watching Libby's video it seems worth the extra effort to purchase the dried beans and grains from the bins at Lazy Acres grocery store. She explained that it is important to store grains in a container that blocks light and oxygen, so vital nutrients are not lost. To attain the most nutrients from the grains or beans they must be soaked in water or broth. She shared a tip to use Kombu, a type of seaweed, to help tenderized the beans during the soaking process. They also pointed out that the grains labeled "organic" will be free of GMO's. I will definitely try the quinoa recipe she made on her video, it looked delicious! Purchasing these types of grains in organic form will also aid in avoiding grains treated with pesticides which may contain glyphosate and help to support sustainable farming.
The snacks that Libby made in the "Sweet Snacks" episode looked delicious and were made with real ingredients with proper nutrients. I'd never heard of a couple of the ingredients like the Sucanat sugar used in the popcorn. I am pretty active so I also spend a lot of time eating and particularly snacking. This video showed me that there are better solutions for our snack cravings and to use alternative ingredients that will provide increased benefits for our body. The popcorn kernels she used were only $0.18 when a pack of 3 bags of popcorn at the store might cost around $5. I will try to implement better snacking into my life because in this case, it is better for my health and my wallet!
Wow! What a fantastic video, it was very informative and entertaining. I was amazed but the simple and fabulous dips. They look delicious! Fun fresh snacks are definitely the way to go, often time we choose unhealthy alternatives because they are fast and easy. Just like Libby mentioned, making your own snacks allows to keep the nutrients and become aware of the ingredients that are in the snacks. Nonetheless, if we make and save the snacks, we can have them available with ease and can begin our journey to a healthier lifestyle. Making the dips actually seemed very fun and easy, I look forward to trying the Muhammara! I am blown away by the final product and presentation!
I enjoyed watching the "Sweet Snacks" episode because it was very informative and there were some great recipes that I would try to make at home. Before watching this video, I had no idea there were ways to make a sweet snack with healthier ingredients. I was amazed to learn that there are such things as organic popcorn kernels, which are also super cheap and better for the environment as opposed to regular kernels. My favorite recipe was the avocado mousse because it looked appetizing and the consistency looked so creamy. I am going to share these recipes with my family so that we can all try them together. -Mia Pittsey
I watched the "Sweet Snacks" episode, and it was interesting. It's a great thing that makes original sweet snacks from sustainable ingredients. I didn't know that most commercial sweet snacks contain excessive sugar and there are fewer nutrients. I enjoyed watching this video because Dr. Libby is knowledgeable about each product's nutrients, ingredients and more about sustainable foods. As other comments said, I was also surprised that most corn in the marketplace is genetically modified. So I realized it is important to know well about foods that I want to use. After watching this video, I decided to check the item with my eyes next time when I want to get some "fresh" foods. Also, I want to try some recipes that were introduced in the video!
I just watched the "Meat & Seafood" episode, and it was informative about the grass-fed and organic grass-fed beef options. I think it's excellent that Lazy Acres is providing our communities with sustainably grown cows. It's crucial to note that although grass-fed beef is sprayed with fertilizer, it's so much more sustainable than factory-farmed cows. Not only are factory-farmed cows unsustainable and treated poorly, but their burps and farts also let out methane gas into the air. Also, conventionally raised cows are fed GMO corn and grains for feed which isn’t their natural diet. It’s creating extreme toxins into the soil and air. GMO cow poop is highly toxic and isn’t able to use for compost because it’s harmful GMO hormones and chemically altered fertilizers. Additionally, cow meat produces the most greenhouse gases out of all the meats. It also uses the most water. Factory farmed cows are so bad for the environment socially and physically. Happy cows are only happy when they’re grass-fed and even more so when they’re organically grown.
Watching episode 6, “Repurposing Leftovers,” video provided me with excellent tips on how to preserve our food and how composing our leftovers helps the environment in so many ways. I work in the kitchen, and every day we learned how to wash, cut properly, and use our food to create dishes our guests will love. However, when the night ends, the food we prep ends up going in the trash, and it is pretty devasting that we would rather dispose of the food instead of reusing it for other recipes or giving it away to someone who needs it. I know I tend to waste a lot of food at home because I forget about it, leave it sitting out, or expire, so this video is a great way to connect people who don’t know how to repurpose their food leftovers. I know it’s not easy to dedicate yourself to taking your leftovers and use them throughout the week. With videos like this one and knowledge you will gain about repurposing your food leftovers, it can improve our environment by making it much more sustainable.
I just finished watching Episode 1: Farm to Table Freshness, and I want to firstly comment on Libby’s enthusiasm for farmer’s markets and fresh produce. It is important that we all start taking steps to feed our bodies with fresher foods and include a variety of colors in our meals like Libby mentioned, in order to get a variety of nutrients. Libby’s suggestions for choosing the freshest produce at the farmer’s market, including asking supplemental questions like if a fruit or vegetable is “vine-ripened” or what the chickens eat before buying the eggs demonstrate the importance of truly choosing the freshest option when buying at these markets. It is also important to notate that purchasing foods that are in-season is considered a sustainable practice, however it might be hard at first to get into the swing of things, because I feel like I tend to buy and prepare the same types of meals using the same ingredients; I never paid attention to what is “in-season,” only seasonal if that makes sense.
As someone who spent a lot of her time making dishes using spices to enhance the meal, I found this video very intriguing. As a cook, I like to look up recipes with different spices because I like to try different spices other than my usual seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. I add herbs and spices to my dishes, but I used them in my water as well. I love adding lemons with mint and cucumbers. I called this my detox water because I like how flavorful my water can get. Sometimes, I may add cayenne pepper that kicks it, but I prefer my lemon water just the way it is. Dr. Gustin's episode provided a lot of information to those looking to switch up their recipes by incorporating other spices that they don't use daily. Herbs and spices are good for you, so let's make use of them in every way we can.
As someone who spent a lot of her time making dishes using different spices and sauces to enhance the meal, I found this video very intriguing. As a cook, I like to look up recipes with different spices and sauces because I like to try different spices other than my usual seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. I created a lemon butter sauce for my salmon as a presentation for my chef using the ingredients from the kitchen. The chef liked it, and I was surprised because I never made sauces before until I started working in the kitchen. Although adding herbs and spices to dishes is excellent, let's not forget water. I love adding lemons with mint and cucumbers. I called this my detox water because I like how flavorful my water can get. Sometimes, I may add cayenne pepper that kicks it, but I prefer my lemon water just the way it is. Dr. Gustin's episode about the herbs and sauces provided a lot of information to those looking to switch up their recipes by incorporating other herbs they don't use daily. Herbs and spices are good for you, so let's make use of them in every way we can.
I just finished watching the “Fun Fresh Snacks” video, and it was filled with new recipes that I want to try. I learned how easy it is to make such healthy new snacks, while having it still be so tasty. Lots of people when they hear “healthy” snacks, they disregard the fact that it could still taste just as good as any other snacks they’ve had. It is assumed that it will taste bad and won't be enjoyable. In the video, Libby demonstrated and showed such easy and delicious recipes! They simply replace common snacks that I see my friends and I have regularly. I always have guacamole when it’s avocado season, and I just realized how good avocado is for the body. I hear pros/cons of eating avocados, but since I grow a tree myself, I always have some on hand when ready. I always incorporate it into my meals, and it is so good! Knowing how it can help my health and part of the “healthy fats” makes me feel even better. Also, I never knew I could make a pie crust with rice. I didn’t know how easy it was, and now I want to try myself. This video helped me realize how easy it is to enjoy fresh snacks. Plus, I love having a variety of colors in my meals, and knowing that these are healthy, fun, colorful, and easy makes me want to buy everything at my local farmers market. Helping the environment and being sustainable is one thing, but also knowing I’m eating healthy and helping myself in all sorts of ways is even better. Such a great video that makes me want to host a party and make all sorts of dishes when the pandemic is over!
Hello Libby! Thank you for the very informative way to use all the parts of a chicken. There is definitely a lot that goes into raising an animal; more than what most think about. It comes down to the feed, types of environment. The use of vehicles is not only for the transportation to deliver the product to local and distant grocery outlets, but the farming equipment that may be used while raising the livestock. It is even more crucial with larger animals, so it is great to teach every how to use every part! I was wondering, is there a reason that you didn't mention vinegar as a sustainable alternative as a disinfectant? Is there something I didn't think about in the production of vinegar that makes it not sustainable? I had two comments though about the chicken stock/broth (broth is bones and meat, stock is bones only) you made. The first is that you could use the giblets in the stock to add more flavor and organs contain a lot of nutrients. Next, from a culinary arts perspective, and is simply that you don't want to boil your stock/broth but simmer it gently. Last, you could blend the vegetables into a soup to use as a thickener if you were to be making a soup. Making a video is a great way to extend your reach and influence many more people, so thank you! Also, thank you to your co-host for asking all the questions! She did a great job!
After watching the farm to table freshness it made me realize that every time I shop from a farmers market it makes me happy because I know I’m supporting local vendors who take their time to grow high quality produce and vegetables. I don’t mean to sound dramatic but you can taste the freshness when you compare it to grocery store vegetables and produce. There is also a lot more that the vendors offer than you don’t get at other grocery stores. If you shop what is in season that means there are less resources being used but if you don’t and your shopping from a grocery store, that means that it had to transport from who knows where because that product was not grown locally. Composting is also great habit to get into while in the kitchen because you’ll start to notice how much you actually waste. If anyone knows of any local farmers market in OC with great selection, let me know! I'd appreciate it. Lizzete Huipe (370 Sec 02- Fall '21)
The "Fun Fresh Snacks" episode really stood out to me because I've recently tried changing my unhealthy snacking habits to something more nutritional! I always love having snacks throughout the day but never took into consideration any of the nutritional facts and realized how much of a negative impact It was having on my body. After watching the video, I now have all these new snacks to look forward to especially knowing they will benefit me. One thing I'm really excited for are the dips since I recently been buying a variety of healthy chips from Trader Joes. If only I would've seen this video before I bought them so I could try and make homemade chips instead and save some money. Something important I found in the video was that it highlights a sustainable kitchen. It covers the importance of sustainability which mostly means to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. I'm currently taking an exploring sustainable food course and this video related to topics I've learned such as food security. Within the pillars of food security, food utilization plays a huge role because it means to use proper foods appropriately based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care. Knowing the amount of nutritional value you are getting from the foods you eat is key in a healthy diet and prevents malnutrition. I will definitely be trying these fun fresh snacks and learn other ways I can eat healthy! -Saul Suarez HM 370
Episode 11 about the rainbow game is a game-changer. Whenever I think about healthy diets, it is always about keeping numbers. I am not a math person. The rainbow aspect of the nutritious game visualizes what I am eating. Thinking abstractly while running around during the week makes it extremely difficult to keep tabs on what I am putting into my body. It's too easy to go for something easy and filling if you don't see what you're missing in your diet. I always wonder why I feel so run down, but most of the time it's because I'm not watching my intake. The rainbow game is a great solution for this problem, especially over a week!
Dillon Thomas HM 370-Fall 2021 I watched Episode 3 about Fats and Spices and I ha no idea how in-depth the choice of fats can be when purchasing them at the store was. I always thought they were all somewhat similar but know just how much better cold pressed oil is will make it my go to whenever I end up needing more in the kitchen. I also am going to try doing the ghee stuff at home as well, it seems interesting and really easy to do. I think this would be of great use to anyone who is missing or needing extra antioxidants and enzymes in their systems, its cheap and easy to do after all. What I really want to do though is see if I can incorporate what I learned in this episode not just into cooking, but baking as well. Making a healthy and nutritional piecrust, cake, or cookies would be much easier if I use the methods I discovered here.
Is low nutrition food really count as sustainable food? I enjoyed episode 11 “The Rainbow Game” it really simplifies the idea of eating fruits and veggies into colors. Thinking about the colors I have eaten in the day makes decision-making on snacks and meals a lot easier. It is easy to remember. The simplicity of colors when eating makes the color game easy to recall in the distant future. Our current food system is providing people with low nutritionally dense food. Currently, it's our lower-income families that pay the most for low-nutrition food. This game can help fight that. If people eat more nutritionally dense food. They are likely to eat less. Because they are receiving the nutrition their body needs. When people eat less, less food is bought. This means less food is likely to be wasted. Helping with food sustainability and utilization.
For the choice of episodes I decided to watch Episode 10 called "Meats and Seafood" because I am a big meat and sea food lover. If there is one thing I eat everyday it is definitely meat and I was really intrigued to learn about where you can go to purchase organically grass fed meat. I never knew that many local farmers market stores sell seafood and meat that says how the animal was fed in order to determine if it was raised the right way. I loved watching Libby teach us how to cook some recipes of food you can make that shows it would have more nutrients. I think it was important that she pointed out the reasons as to why it was better to obtain the organic grass fed meat instead of the conventional farming meat. In my class we are learning about the benefits of buying food from your local farmers market and it makes me so happy knowing that buying meat from a store like that means you are choosing a healthier option. I enjoyed the overall learning experience that this episode taught me and I will make sure to continue purchasing future grocery items at my local farmers market.
I chose to watch episode 6 “Repurposing leftovers” because I always have leftovers, and I sometimes throw them away. After watching it, I realized we need to appreciate the food we have. Growing the vegetables approximately takes three months to harvest. We can consume healthy products because of organic farmers. Growing the vegetable requires sun, farmers' time, water, and living soil by not using pesticides or using natural pesticides when conventional farmers use the pesticide. I was surprised that about half of all food waste comes from homes. This is not only about wasting food but also the efforts the farmers put. Therefore, it is important to think about what we can do with leftovers before they go bad, and that leads to a sustainable kitchen.
I decided to watch Episode 2 "Grains and Beans" because my mom used to buy beans to make different kinds of soymilk which contains a lot of vitamins and other nutrients. And it's a good thing to know which farmers' markets have the most fresh food and knowlegeable, well-labeled sustainable items. I would say this episode is amazing because it was quite educational about the nutritious worth of beans and grains depending on how they were purchased. Buying organic alternatives of these grains can help me to avoid grains treated with pesticides that may contain glyphosate, and most important thing is to promote sustainable farming.
Hi Libby, I really enjoyed your episode six "Repurposing leftovers." I am so glad you included the clip of you at the farm and providing us details on how organic foods are grown. I did not know that the vegetables from most grocery stores contain GMO. Now I understand why organic farmer's produce are more expensive. However, I felt that it Is worth for the price knowing that it is better for our body and the environment. With the knowledge from this video, I will start using my leftover produce to put back nutrients to the soil for the next plant. I also enjoyed how you came up with the dishes to repurpose your leftovers. It was so creative and all the dishes did not even look like leftovers! You mentioned that food loses its nutrients everyday, so does frozen have any nutrients left?
I decided to watch episode 1 “Farm to Table Freshness” because I wanted to educate myself a bit more on what makes produce fresh and sustainable for our health and the environment. I think what I took from this episode is knowing where to get farm to table produce and the questions that I should ask when purchasing them. Making sure there are no pesticides used and what type of feeds farmers use for their animals are important in deciding whether or not something is fresh and sustainable versus processed and having GMOs.I thought the energy that Libby has in truly wanting to make sure that everything she purchased at the farmers market was sustainable and organic was influential. I definitely want to check out more farmers markets when meal prepping during the week if I have the time. I also thought that adding varieties of colors in the meals you make is key because of the nutrient density it offers you unlike some of the produce you may get in stores. I thought the techniques used in the kitchen to prepare, store, and sustain some of her produce was impressive and something that I can take away and try on my own some time. Thank you for this insight into how to identity these farm-to-table products and how to best prepare them in order to provide a better diet and sustainable environment for the future.
What a great playlist of informative videos! As a person who loves cooking, I would prefer to cook with quality ingredients. So knowing the difference between grass-fed, organic, and conventional meats is major for me! Especially after reading in Libby’s blog post about “pesticides or bone broth”, how pesticides used on animal feed ends up within the meat we eat. As a person who cooks for their boyfriend who doesn’t have the greatest gut health, I want to change that and ensure he's getting the proper nutrients he needs in order to live a happier, healthier life. So, moving forward, I want to buy meat and seafood from the source or from a local butcher. I’ve always been the type of person who doesn’t like to waste any food, so instead of bulk buying meat and seafood, I like to buy them the day of. So seeing how meat and seafood have a shelf life within the fridge is reassuring that I am doing the right thing. -Jade Lagade
Episode 11, "The Rainbow Game" covers points that are extremely important when discussing diet. The episode resonates with me because at home I eat vegetarian. I live with vegetarians and made the sacrifice to eat vegetarian at home to eliminate the chance cross contamination. When consuming food we try to incorporate both raw and cooked food. A key point in the post was the discussion of variety. Vegetables get the most colors on a plate. I was told by a vegan once that the more colors on a plate, the healthier the dish. I do think that it is important to remember to get things like iron and proteins when having a "colorful" diet as common veggies can lack these things. A variety in a diet can also aid in making sure we don't get tired of our meals and deters us from eating foods that is bad for help.
I really enjoyed watching episode sweet snacks. There is ways to set up your own sustainable kitchen to have sweet snacks.What is used to make these sweet snacks is going to be good for our health and even the enviornment.These sweet snacks will also give us nutrients.Instead of using white sugar we can use sucanat ,its dehydrated cane juice which has potassium ,which makes it better for our health .You can make organic popcorn with organic kernels with either avocado or coconut oil.For the topping you can cooked sucannat,cinnamon with melted ghee then you add it to the popcorn and shake it.You can add nuts for protein at the end when the popcorn is finished.There are sweet easy organic snacks that you can prepare at home.Now im trying to watch how much sugar I consume.This snack is being made with real ingredients
Just finished the Sweet Snacks video and I loved how I can still eat "snacks" but at the same time still be healthy. It has been a challenge to find a healthy snack that I can truly enjoy since I have a massive sweet tooth . Berries and nuts can satisfy one's cravings instead of junk food, also avocados can be very satisfying and healthy. Watching her make the peanut butter was cool because of the ingredients that were used. Before watching this, I didn't know it was possible to have healthy versions of your favorite snacks. I want to make a better effort to use some sustainable ingredients to make healthier snack options that I can enjoy.
The working With Poultry video was very informative. I did not know that brining would make a chicken juicy I just thought it would add extra flavor like a marinade, so that was nice to learn. Also, using the meat pounder! I always have unevenly cooked chicken such an easy solution I now realize. Handling chicken is such an easy way to cross contaminate all of your surfaces and a festering ground for E Coli and salmonella which can literally kill you. It is so important to wash your hands and surfaces with disinfecting soap and hot water. I often hear a controversy between people arguing one must "wash their chicken", I'll see them soaking it in a vinegar solution. I guess that's fine as long as the handling of after care is just as focused on killing bacteria. Externally is just as important as internally. A nutrient naturally fed chicken with contain the most nutrients and flavor. Ashley Wilmoth
I watched the episode 3, "Fats & Spices", because it's something that I use everyday and wanted to understand more about. I was extremely interested in the explanation of oils. I wasn't aware that cold-pressed oils should not be heated up, in which the antioxidants and enzymes that are great for the body are now destroyed. I was just under the impression that olive oil is better than vegetable oil and I could use it however I want. I need to use high smoke-point oils to fry things, as other oils may have their enzymes or antioxidants burned, which can be carcinogenic to eat or breathe. I was completely unaware that my use of oil was severely lacking understanding for more nutrients. Next time, I will respect the use of cold pressed oils and use those naturally like in dips or salads. I will try to look for minimally refined or processed oils to use to fry. Also, I am extremely pleased by the presentation of spices, which add amazing flavors to food without adding any calories or fat. The video portrayed it as mixing and using a variety of spices to make an amazing flavor for an otherwise bland food like cauliflower. The use of my spices is basically limited to chili flakes. I am eager to build up my spice rack and use it to create flavors that are extremely tasty. These are things that I can put into practice as soon as I start making my next meal, so I'm looking forward to cooking.
This video was helpful as a guide to healthier eating. I became vegan and quickly became interested in having a rainbow plate for each meal. I will admit to not doing this every meal, but when I do the colors making the presentation nicer. I find this method is an easy way to make sure I am eating fruits and vegetables. I will make a note of these specific recipes and use the video. I enjoy the easy recipes, since they are so quick to create. I do enjoy my vegetables more when they seasoned as well. I also looked at the attached color plate document which is also a helpful resource.
HM370 - Alma Gonzalez I watched episode 2: “grains and beans”, i really liked the fact that she was physically in the store and showed us how she buys her items. I thought it was interesting how she let us know about the cleanliness and safety of everything in the bins. I also thought that by her inserting the knowledgeable employee really adds to how you can use resources already available to you. I also don’t know what I expected out of watching this video but I am glad I chose this one, I think grains and beans are a big staple to a plant based diet, so this was really helpful. The most interesting thing that stood out to me was the way of storing grains and beans, I did not know light could affect them. I also thought about how in my household beans and grains are a staple in our meals so now I can let my mom know how to properly store them as she only uses clear and glass containers. Very interesting and informational can’t wait to watch the rest of them.
Meat and seafood episode I watched episode 10. I had always been told that all red meats were not healthy for you. After watching this it makes me feel a little less guilty eating red meat, although I still feel I should avoid it if I can. I did not realize the difference between grass fed and organic grass-fed meats. I knew very little about buying seafood from stores and this episode taught me so much. Things like sustainably sourced seafood were never in my vocabulary before this video. I will look for these at the store as I am normally a little scared buying seafood from the store. This episode also gave me some good ideas for a quick and easy recipe for a good, tasty meal. Not only did it provide me with a recipe but also some good cooking tips to apply to other dishes in the future. One question I had was if these ingredients could be found at a local grocery store and not necessarily a whole food or a sprouts for those who live in a more remote setting. If not, then what are some tips for people in those areas to eat a bit healthier and avoid all these GMOs and pesticides.
Excellent! I enjoyed watching the bit about a sustainable kitchen. I love culinary arts and the science behind the arts. It is amazing to see a different perspective than the typical Gordan Rasmey genre of cooking shows. I find that Libby encompases entertainment, substance, and sass through her explanation of fats and spices. The core fundamentals of culinary arts is the understanding of fats, acids, salts, and spices. I am glad to see Libby tackle an important topic. I enjoyed the culinary techniques- sautéing. The technique of high heat and low fat, sauteing, is an amazing method to prepare foods. Love the knowledge and usage of umami, which is to fuse the flavors together through natural methods. Umami is the natural enhancement of flavor. We all know the unnatural ways to enhance the flavor of MSG. Anyways, I love the videos. Please keep up the amazing.
One thing that caught my attention was that some chickens from the farmers market are fed crickets and insect meat. Not only are these chickens eating organic, but they are also getting their protein. And to me that is great. Also, I never knew that adding apple cider vinegar was great for produce washing solution. I always wash my produce with water, but this tip is better, and I will use next time. Overall, all the information provided was really helpful.
Farm to the Table Freshness (HM 370) I was very intrigued by the fact there is some ways to tell if a item is freshly picked out such as seeing the vine still being attached to the produce. This episode is very informal as Libby shows me how I can reproduce a produce by withdrawing the seeds and placing them in a glass jar with water. There is also an extraction of compost of the produce which will be use as feed to the soil to ensure nutrients being developed while the produce is being grown. This one of many ways to be sustainable in agriculture and to environment as the seeds and composting are not going to waste, instead are being used to grow more crops. The most informal and interesting part of the episode I really enjoyed was when farmer Alex Munoz explained how to determine if an egg is pastured. A Sundown yellow yolk shows that the chickens are bug and compost fed while grain fed shows a bright yellow yolk, which affects the digestive tract of the chicken. This video is pact with valuable information with methods of sustainability and ways to see if the produce is fresh and non-GMO raised. Question The question I do have is do farmer markets have affordable prices for low-income communities how would like to make a change in their diets ? And how long do you keep the seed and compost in the jar before placing them in the soil to grow more produce ? - Gabino Leon
First off at the start of the video I love Libby's tone of voice and how she is bringing positive energy to attract her viewers. I am always for the environment so learning about how we can create healthy fun snacks by using whole, less-processed ingredients was a great addition to my knowledge. I like how easily I can use the steps in the video to create my own healthy snacks, instructions were very clear. I've always known that homemade foods are healthier than store bought foods because homemade foods if you make it with the right ingredients have higher nutrients. Store bought snacks usually are processed and not very good in nutrients. I've learned soo much from the video from avocados having more potassium than bananas and new recipes that I will try at home. Really great information and really good video in general. I hope to see more of these in the future.
Andreya Garcia I am glad to know that sweet snacks can also be more sustainable and nutritious as well. It is interesting that popcorn is not genetically modified at all, it makes me want to eat popcorn more often. What if I like a more cheesy popcorn? What is a better and nutritious alternative to making a cheesy popcorn? I really want to experiment making my own peanut butter cookies now. I want to try making them and dipping them in melted chocolate. Mousse is not my favorite kind of dessert, but I feel like a lot of people do not think of using avocado in a sweet manor so adding this recipe in the video is a great aspect.
Quinn Kozuschek HM 370: I watched the Farm to the Table Freshness that have tips on what to look for when visiting a farmers market and setting up a sustainable kitchen. One of the big concepts that I learned from this episode is the amount food scraps that I waste. In the video nothing was wasted. The seeds were harvested for future gardening and the tomato stem was put aside for later composting. Composting can give life back to the soil by returning some of those nutrients that have been lost. Produce that grows in rich soil will have a higher quality of nutrition and will be heathier. I also learned from the video that varieties of color in food is very important. It does not only offer a larger range of vitamins and nutrients, but is also more appealing and enticing to look at. The video also gave me the idea that I can start feeding some of my kitchen scraps to my chickens at home. That way I will end up with heathier chickens and eggs, while limiting some of my food waste. This video also gave me a craving for salad.
Meat and Seafood Episode: It is really important to put healthy meat and seafood in our body. It is totally worth it to do the extra research to find out where our food is coming from. This video really taught me what to look for in the grocery store to find the best meat. I had never heard of being able to eat Bison. The recipes look delicious, healthy and easy to make.
Mealad Saadeh: While watching Libby’s kitchen-“Farm to table freshness”, I learned a lot. Firstly, and most importantly is the sanitation in the kitchen. I have been in the culinary world since a very young age. So seeing people giving importance to sanitation means alot to me. By watching this, I learned how to recognize my produce more. Now, I can be more successful at finding the produce I need. Now I can know what’s fresh and what’s not. I am now able to find produce that is grown sustainably. This can be done by checking if the leafs are green and feel fresh. A good example is beats or radishes. I also got an important tip “Go to the farmers markets and ask questions”. I also learned that farmer market products might actually be only a day or two old, which is very great! I also learned about vinegar and natural grape juice that can give it sweetness. I also learned that many farmers markers have chickens that eat healthy (bugs) which gives the chicken great nutrients to grow healthy and also grow healthy eggs. I also learned that there could be organic pesticides. I have never thought of that before. Isn’t it amazing that chili plants could be used to keep bugs and insects away! I really like that idea. I think that this is something that farms should definitely start using!
Matt Ortiz (HM 370) 2) Farm to table Freshness. Organic foods are not genetically modified at all meaning that they have no chemicals in them; they are only made up of themselves. Added chemicals in food have been studied and been shown to be unhealthy and could lead to an array of diseases. Going to a farmer’s market allows you to directly ask the vendors all information regarding the food that you’ll purchase. I would think that fresh food has become increasingly popular in recent years as people are much more concerned with their health, especially in California. It doesn’t take much more effort in order to improve the health of yourself or your families while also supporting pasture raised organic fed animals who live better lives than conventional livestock.
I loved the meat and seafood video. Of course, we have heard many times, or even read at our grocery stores about conventional, organic, or grass-fed meats. This video made it easier to make our choices for our own health and flavor desires. Meat can certainly be deceiving when we aren’t aware of how it is raised. Sustainable meats are much more accessible and affordable than they have been in the past, they also go a lot further than the industrial livestock farms and are remarkably healthier. It is important to know what we are putting in our bodies, especially when it comes to meats and seafood, as these living organisms feed off the earth in some capacity and that goes into the meat that we end up eating. We wouldn’t want to eat fish filled with mercury, just like we wouldn’t want to eat chickens that are pumped full of steroids just to have larger portions. When we take time to learn where our meats and seafood comes from, we can make healthier choices for our own consumption. These were great recipes, and I can’t wait to try them out at home. I am also a huge fan of bison for the very same reasons, it is more sustainable, and it has far less fat to drain.
The Meat and Seafood episode was the one that drew my attention because I believe these two products to be the most mismanaged products in the American market. The meat industry has been known to misuse antibiotics, have poor living conditions for their animals, and negatively impact the environment. And on the side of the seafood industry, it is known to be highly unsustainable and produce contaminated products. Both those problems show that information on how the food was raised can help consumers pick healthier options. The episode takes the viewer to a local market in Long Beach called Lazy Acres. The market has a wider selection of organic, grass-fed, and conventional beef. The protein specialist did a good job explaining the difference between how and where these products were raised and concluded that the best option was organic grass-fed beef. His reasoning was that simply grass-fed did not ensure that no antibiotics or pesticides were used, and that organic meant the animal would be eating pesticide-free corn. So, organic grass-fed ensures that the animals had room to forage naturally and live pesticide-free. The Seafood portion shows the importance of ethically harvesting fish fresh and in season. Eating frozen fish that’s not fresh results in a less nutritious end product. The meals made here were organic grass-fed ground bison beef taco bowls and white shrimp coconut curry. These meals used ethically sourced proteins and vegetables, so the meals are both more nutritious and sustainable. The cooking session showed the importance of having color, herbs, sear, and different flavor components. Another important thing is that these meals are easy and realistic to make and that the ingredients could be played aground with to create a larger variety. Healthy eating is known to be important but is the importance and knowledge of cooking present to allow healthier habits to even exist. -Haiky HM370
What a great playlist of informative videos! As a person who loves cooking, I would prefer to cook with quality ingredients. So knowing the difference between grass-fed, organic, and conventional meats is major for me! Especially after reading in Libby’s blog post about “pesticides or bone broth”, how pesticides used on animal feed ends up within the meat we eat. As a person who cooks for their boyfriend who doesn’t have the greatest gut health, I want to change that and ensure he's getting the proper nutrients he needs in order to live a happier, healthier life. So, moving forward, I want to buy meat and seafood from the source or from a local butcher. I’ve always been the type of person who doesn’t like to waste any food, so instead of bulk buying meat and seafood, I like to buy them the day of. So seeing how meat and seafood have a shelf life within the fridge is reassuring that I am doing the right thing. -Jade Lagade
I really enjoyed watching these cooking episodes, but the Fun Fresh Snack episode got my attention. I like dipping my tortilla chip in some savory and creamy dip that I have always bought from grocery store. This video showed me the simplest way to make fresh tortilla chips and healthy dipping that I can do at home . By making these snacks, I will be able to consume veggies. I also enjoyed Sweet Snack video and how she makes popcorn so easy. After watching that episode, I’m really glad that popcorn is non GMO and sucanat sugar provide antioxygen than table sugar or other sweeteners.
The meat and seafood episode really resounded with me. Meat and seafood are staple products in my cultural background, so making adjustments to my purchase and selection habits according to this video was an idea that interested me. When I cook food from my culture, I will now make it a point to prioritize grass-fed organic animals, especially beef, since there is less of a risk of there being pesticides being present in what the animals ate. Sustainable seafood from farms is a fine alternative, as overfishing and the overall cost of the supply chain that the increased demand for seafood over time has created, such as the costs of transportation and the effects that it has on the greater ecosystem, is a problem. I enjoyed the video, and it ultimately opened my eyes with regards to my meat purchasing habits; where I buy it from, and how the meat is processed (whether it’s grass-fed, farmed, or not.)
I choose to watch episode four: working with poultry because I consume a large amount of poultry in my diet. I loved that Libby was able to expand our knowledge on the difference between air and water chilled chickens. I definitely will be buying air chilling chicken to ensure the most flavor. I often make a mess when I cool so it was a good tip to open the chicken in the sink to avoid cross-contamination. I have never brined anything before and I definitely needed to know that you wash off the brine before you cook it. I also did not think to dry off the bird to ensure the skin is crispy to your liking. This video was incredibly helpful and I will be using all of these tips in my kitchen.
Chi Nguyen (HM370) Episode: The Rainbow Game I enjoyed the video about the rainbow game. Before that, I always thought that eating all colors of vegetables in meals was difficult to do. Moreover, few people pay attention to the color and the number of vegetables as well as fruits in their meals. Personally, I don’t like to eat vegetables so it is extremely difficult to eat according to the recipe of the rainbow. In addition, 5 cups total for vegetables and fruits a day are too much. Although I got some knowledge from my class about food utilization, I had not changed my diet yet. However, after watching this video, I have changed my view of vegetables in my daily meal. I have a better understanding of how to "eat a rainbow." How to prepare a meal with a variety of vegetables and fruits with rainbow colors? "Eat a rainbow" is not used for a meal or a day; it is applied for the whole week, so everything becomes easier. The video showed that a colorful lunch was made with a simple recipe that included zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. Therefore, we can easily achieve rainbow meals in a week or even in a day. The combination of vegetables and/ or fruits together helps to provide adequate nutrients for the human body without having to eat too much. The rainbow game is very useful for everyone; it helps people to manage and easily distribute vegetables' color within a week.
I watched episode 11 on incorporating the “colors of the rainbow” into your diet. For starters, I thought it was interesting when you mentioned that it’s more important to make sure you are getting fruits and vegetables of all colors as opposed to consuming a certain amount of calories. I struggle with keeping track of the total calories that I consume, but I can definitely improve my health and overall nutrition by filling out a rainbow chart. My class I’m taking right now has led me to do more research on my diet and nutrition, and one thing I learned is that balance is key to a healthy and sustainable diet. Not one color of the food rainbow is more important than the other, so it’s important that you balance them since each color has different nutrients. Although I eat a lot of vegetables, this video has pointed out to me that I should eat more than just green vegetables. I definitely will try out the purple potato pizza, I don’t think I get any purple in my diet!
The “Farm to the Table Freshness” episode on the Cooking Show gives the audience a profound picture of the abundance which characterizes the New York’s Capital area. The episode brings into perspective the nutritional value of the local production in this region, and offers some invaluable tips on how to cook creatively. The episode, furthermore brings on board some experts who convey crucial messages regarding the dimensional aspects of cooking, and the nutritional components of the fresh produce obtained from the New York area. The show is profoundly instrumental, since the host prepares the viewers for an adventurous approach to the produce obtained from New York, and provides creative tips on how to cook.
I chose to watch the episode about working with poultry. I often get a lot of conflicting advice about how to handle chicken meat. This episode was so informative and taught me more kitchen safety. I am a bit of a germaphobe, so I really enjoyed the cross-contamination advice and recommendation to wear gloves. I also did not know the difference between air-chilled and water-chilled chicken. I always bought air-chilled organic chicken without knowing what it meant. Now I know that I was making a good choice. My favorite part was the beginning about emphasizing how precious chicken meat is considering the amount of resources it takes to produce it.
Episode 1 started out being very informative for me; I did not consider exactly how fresh my produce is when I buy it at the store. Watching the interviews with various vendors definitely makes me want to invest more time and effort shopping with local vendors at farmers markets when possible. Libby's food preparation process seems very simple and sustainable.
I just finished watching the episode on "sweet treats"! It's how many things come from processed foods, and how we really don't know the exact ingredients used. I really appreciate how Libby is using ingredients from local farms and stores, It was really interesting to find out that if you consume honey that is locally produced you could develop immunities to certain pollens. All three recipes are interesting and aren't things I'd normally consume, but after seeing the preparation I definitely want to give each one a try!
I really enjoyed the knowledge provided in this episode. Including the practical tips like using a chili vinegar spray to keep bugs off lettuce or washing produce in a water vinegar solution. I initially thought by doing so would make them spoil quicker, it’s great to know the opposite is actually true as long as you dry before storing. It’s interesting to think about something seemingly so basic and natural like eating seasonally, vine ripe, colorful, organic food to get the wide range of phytonutrients is something that requires intention and effort in today’s day and age, I think its indicative of the systemic disconnect we have as a collective from nature. Something I haven’t considered before is the value of having the ability to talk to the actual farmers about how the food is produced or when it was picked at a farmer’s market, I think that’s so important to know where your food comes from. I also loved the idea of using kitchen scraps and seeds for your garden. It’s something that I’ve been personally striving to do more of in my kitchen and garden as well.
I watched episode 8. I really enjoyed learning about some little snack ideas. These would be great alternatives to conventional snacks. The food shown in the video look much healthier especially compared to store bought snacks. I especially love how simple the food is to make. It is also interesting to note how the food is still good frozen even though the goal is to have the freshest food. As long as the ingredients are whole, it's okay to have frozen foods.
I just watched the “Meat and Seafood” episode and I learned so much from this vlog. The meat quality is totally dependent on how the animal was raised while it was alive. I learned that meat last very little if it is not frozen fresh. Frozen fresh means that the cut of meat is frozen quickly so that the nutrients stay locked in. I must try that shrimp coconut curry recipe. It looked so good and easy to make. I would like to add a bit more shrimp in my curry because I am a protein lover and I tend to not get full until I get good amounts of protein. Overall, this was a great insight on fresh meat and seafood. - Enrique Haro
I enjoy the rainbow game in episode 11. Since I want to eat more healthily recently, I'm trying to cook for myself whenever I feel relaxed enough. I know that it is better for my health to cook with fresh ingredients from reliable markets and sustainable farms, but I have no idea what is the right proportion for each type of ingredient. Because I'm not good at cooking, a simple game is more useful to me than a long and dry lecture. I don't need to invest time in studying nutritional facts while having more time to investigate healthier grocery-shopping options and enjoy the cooking process. The recipes in the episode are also simple and easy to learn.
Episode 9 Sweet snacks: Popcorn is such a versatile snack which means that it can be cooked with various ingredients. Its versatility allows for numerous different ways to enjoy consuming. Additionally, it is a healthy snack that is high in fiber, a great source of protein, and even includes iron. The price to pay for popcorn is very cost effective compared to other snack foods, as money is something I consider often. Microwave popcorn is a product that I had blindly enjoyed without knowing fully what the processes of making it entails. I am unaware if the corn was grown organically and what fats and salts were included. I was also fond of the convenience microwave popcorn has such as doing less dishes and flavoring already embodied but this shouldn’t be an excuse, as making my own is healthier as it has less sugar, salts and preservatives. Working in the food industry requires me to be aware of allergies and sensitivities of customers such as gluten. The peanut butter cookie recipe is gluten free which means there is no use of flour. Due to my small frame I have mistakenly assumed I can eat whatever I want even though I am well aware of the negative effects such activity does have. Switching to sustainable and nutritional ingredients is a healthy way to improve my overall well being.
I found your conversation with your butcher Jarrad Jarrard, in the Meat & Seafood episode to be really informative. I eat a lot of meat in my diet, and as stated early on in the video, you are eating what your meat products were eating. To hear about the dietary differences between organic and conventional meat products is necessary information upon considering the fact that you are what your meat eats. I also really enjoyed the questions you asked, in particular the repeated one between meat and seafood: How long after I buy this until I have to prepare it, or freeze it? It’s good to know that if purchased fresh most meat and seafood should be frozen within the day. Once in the cooking section of the show I really enjoyed how you gave reasons as to why you do things particularly i.e., leaving the skin on the potatoes so as to keep the curry from getting starchy as it is those tidbits of info I find not only the most rewarding to learn about but also the most impactful when actually cooking. Brian Mayberry HM 370
As someone who loves having something sweet after dinner, I loved this video! I have never heard of sucanat but I will be purchasing this item on my next trip to the grocery store. Popcorn is one of my favorite go-to salty snacks and seeing you and Mia make it yourselves made it look so easy. Adding the sucanat made it the perfect sweet and salty late night snack! I also love the intentions that you have for each of the ingredients that you use, such as the nuts for protein, the nutritional benefits of the sucanat, and how you used the coconut water to whip the coconut whipped cream. One thing that I struggle with is that I always want my sweet snacks to be chocolate, but after seeing all the different healthy options you made I need to try these out. And if I am still craving chocolate, I can choose cacao nibs! I bet if I made these snacks on my own instead of buying something, I would feel more satisfied knowing that I saved money and that I am eating nutritious snacks. Ysabel Ignacio
I've been wanting to learn more about how to prepare grains and beans properly, since they're such essential components of a well-balanced diet. The discussion about the effects of soaking grains brought me to realize the importance of the process. This aligns with the findings of Westin A. Price, a doctor who spent years visiting villages around the world who hadn't yet been exposed to processed foods. The members of these villages were shown to be in great health, even though their diet was often limited to just a few foods. As Libby said in the video, fermentation of grains was a process carried out regularly by our ancestors, which was also demonstrated in Price's findings. I'd like to learn more about how to ferment grains, as well as vegetables, since fermented foods are such a benefit to our bodies.
I really enjoyed this episode because Libby takes us to a small farm named Lincoln Spring Farms run by her friend Jesse, to show us how easy it is to get local organically grown food. I enjoyed learning the care and hard work it takes to grow produce and sell it for consumers and what it takes to care for them and the soil they use to grow this food. I also enjoyed how Libby cooked using the farm fresh produce and made multiple bean dishes and even a crust out of rice. This was informative to me because I always have leftovers and try not to waste food, so I always repurpose them into something new and different. According to the USDA, food waste in the United States is estimated at 30-40% of the food supply. This number is way too high and videos like these can help more people buy from better sources and waste less food by repurposing leftovers. -Gabriela Cervantes HM 370
Austin Espinoza The reason I picked the episode “Meat and Seafood,” is because I enjoy eating meat. I wanted more insight on how the animals are raised, to be taught a little bit more on the importance of their diet and how they are treated. There’s a lot of differences between: grass fed organic, and conventional foods. Grass fed means that the cattle is raised with their mother for 6 to 12 months. Conventional animals get their food from corn, soy, and get feed lot of fattening foods. With organic fed there is no pesticides in the foods they eat. For fish and meat, it should be eaten within 1-2 days if not frozen the day off, to keep it fresh. Lazy Acres Market gave me an insight on the meats and seas food that is given to consumers, through Libby’s Kitchen. During the cooking of the bison meat, I like the mix of taco seasoning with the tomato sauce. It is a better method to do instead of sprinkling on top. Also learn how to make a coconut curry dish with shrimp and lemon grass. I hope to try these recipes real soon!
I watched episode #8, Fun Fresh Snacks. The video caught my attention because I've been trying to find healthy snacks to substitute unhealthy snacks. I'm changing my diet for something better for my body. I really like how simple and easy are these recipes to make. I've never thought about making an onion dip, even though I like onions. Moreover, I like how these recipes are sustainable and healthy. I appreciate the tips that you gave about the avocado. I didn't know that the dark green part next to the peel was the best part. I've never heard of the Purple Quinoa Patties, but I'm trilled to make them. I believe that these recipes are going to help me with my goal of eating healthier. I'm going to share these recipes with my family.
I watched episode #8, Fun Fresh Snacks. The video caught my attention because I've been trying to find healthy snacks to substitute unhealthy snacks. I'm changing my diet for something better for my body. I really like how simple and easy are these recipes to make. I've never thought about making an onion dip, even though I like onions. Moreover, I like how these recipes are sustainable and healthy. I appreciate the tips that you gave about the avocado. I didn't know that the dark green part next to the peel was the best part. I've never heard of the Purple Quinoa Patties, but I'm trilled to make them. I believe that these recipes are going to help me with my goal of eating healthier. I'm going to share these recipes with my family. -Jesus Ramirez HM 370
I watched episode 9: sweet snacks. I chose to watch this episode because I love sweet foods and I wanted to see what sweet snacks would be made. I am not that much of a fan of popcorn since I dislike when the popcorn kernels get stuck in my teeth, but the popcorn shown in the episode looked really good, fancy just like how Mi said. The peanut butter cookies looked good as well, I liked that three variations were made, each with an ingredient that stands out, such as the cacao and the blueberries. I do not like avocados but the avocado mousse was interesting to see it made, it looked very fancy in the end, with the crust and the coconut whipped cream.
I choose this video as I want to be able to craft more sauces from scratch and while also doing it in a sustainable manner. I also love herbs and have begun to grow my own mint and basil, which matches this video perfectly. In one of my college classes we learned that having nutritious dense food is truly the way to go and unfortunately the majority of grocery stores are getting heavily processed produce with GMOs. Choosing to grow your own food or purchasing all organic food with all you to gain more nutrients from said produce. More nutrients allow the body to be healthy in a multitude of ways and it also means you do not have to eat as much to meet the recommended daily value of nutrients. I did not know that putting the bones in the broth will add nutrients like collagen and glucose. I also loved seeing how to make ranch as I make a cobb salad with it a lot. After watching this I think I will take on the challenge of making it myself so I benefit from extra nutrients like vitamin A and D. A great cooking tip I found in this video is to use a frying pan for sauces because the heat will distribute evenly, I will be doing that for my next alfredo sauce. This video pairs nicely with my class that discusses nutrition in food and how to cook. It brings up additional ways to use herbs to create some common foods that in processed versions do not hold much value like ranch. Also I did not realize the importance of chicken broth and how you freeze some of it for future uses which also for more sustainable and thoughtful use of the chicken and future prepared dishes.
I learned a lot more about meat and seafood after I watched this episode. Beef is categorized differently based on how cattle is raised and what it eats. Organic grass-fed have the most nutrient contents because there is no chemical or pesticide involved. I did some research and to be certified Organic, cattle must be raised on land that is certified organic, be allowed access to pasture and be fed only organic material. At first this seems like a lot of requirement and a lot of work for a piece of meat to be certified as Organic, but it is simply let the cattle live and eat in their original nature before we got chemicals involved in farming. When I go to the market, there are so many types of meat and the marketing labels make it all sound healthy to me. I usually take a long time to decide which one I’m buying, and most of the time I end up picking the most expensive one thinking that it’s going to be the most healthy. However, I am now confident in picking my meat and seafood at the market after learning about it through your video. - Linh Vu HM 370 Sec 02 9224 -
The first portion of the video discussed the raising practices of the chickens that are sold at the butcher counter at Lazy Acres. This information covered the differences between organic, pasture raised and natural chickens. As someone who eats all organically for the most part, it was interesting to hear about the importance of pasture raised chickens. After the interview with the butcher from Lazy Acres, it was clear to me that getting organic chicken is equally as important as looking for pasture raised as well. Later on in the video, it was very helpful getting to see the proper preparation of a chicken. When I buy chicken, it is always just the breasts or thighs, but seeing how a whole chicken is prepared makes me feel better about doing it myself. At the end of the video, she mentioned how many recipes and meals she can get out of one whole chicken. For the price, I think it would be more cost effective to purchase the whole chicken versus just some parts. I would be able to make more food and save it for later. As a college student, it would be very beneficial to do this for meal prepping for my busy schedule. One of the most interesting things I learned was the brining process. I liked how it explained what the purpose of it is.
I watched episode 8 on Fun Fresh Snacks and I found it really interesting how we can use fresh foods to make healthy snacks. Eating healthy snack is always a challenge for me because I always go for the unhealthy ones like chips or cookies that have zero nutritional value. I really liked the Muhammara recipe presented because I had no idea walnuts could be used for a dip which I will definitely be making. I also had no idea that onion dip was so easy to make. The quinoa patties looked really good and convenient for on-the-go snacks. I really liked the tip on the avocados because I did not know that most of its nutrition was in the darker outside part. I really enjoyed this video because every single ingredient had a purpose that added to the snack’s nutrition. Luz Zuniga HM 370
Brittany Smith I watched episode eight on Fun Fresh Snacks. This video is really useful too me because I'm a big snacker. I work 45 hours a week and sometimes I don't have enough time to bring food from home or I wake up late and am rushing to eat something before I go in. My snack choices are definitely not healthy. I eat a salami, cheese and crackers tray, nuts, or chips. I really like eating candy when I'm on my break. I enjoy these dips because I can make them in advance and bring them to work. Fresh guacamole is my favorite and I can pair them with fresh tortilla chips. Thank you for sharing these video ideas.
Episode 9 was really interesting to me. I am a snacker. I love to eat even if it is something small. Watching this episode really taught me how I can make my favorite snacks at home. I honestly never knew popcorn could be made on the stove, which is an interesting experiment, and I would definitely like to try it one day. There is mention that creating at home snacks is a good idea just because you know what is being made right under your eyes. Of course, you need to take into consideration the smaller ingredients like for example the blueberry and the peanut butter. I cannot wait to try the popcorn recipe one day.
Episode 9 Sweet Snacks was really interesting to me. I am a snacker. I love to eat even if it is something small. Watching this episode really taught me how I can make my favorite snacks at home. I honestly never knew popcorn could be made on the stove, which is an interesting experiment, and I would definitely like to try it one day. There is mention that creating at home snacks is a good idea just because you know what is being made right under your eyes. Of course, you need to take into consideration the smaller ingredients like for example the blueberry and the peanut butter. I cannot wait to try the popcorn recipe one day. (I had to post this twice because I left my name out on the first response).
I watched this video since I've been looking for healthy snacks to replace junk munchies. I've been exercising and taking care of my body and health and even though I try to eat as healthy as I can, sometimes I crave some snacks and I don't make the smartest choices. I know that I can substitute those unhealthy snacks for some other that are better for me. I have always wanted to make my own dips and I didn't think that it was this easy and simple. This video has inspired me to finally go and make this snack for me and for my family as well. In addition, I like how nutritious and sustainable these dishes are. I was unaware that the nicest and healthiest part was the dark green portion just near to the peel. Before this video, I didn't know that I could make patties from quinoa. The purple quinoa patties look delicious and I’ll try to make it for sure. I believe that with these recipes I can get closer to my goal of eating healthier and that my cravings will be satisfied with these healthier options.
This episode was so fun. I did not expect the quality I got but it was just like watching the cooking channel! Finding good produce is a very hard thing to do because like the girl said all produce looks the same to the untrained eye. Going with you and seeing the things to look out for in the farmers markets helps to close that gap. All the farmers at the farmers market have so much passion for the food they are providing. It makes me happy to know that their are safe and healthy options available that I can purchase. I see farmers markets all around and will for sure be visiting one soon to buy fresh produce. The second part of the episode was helpful as well because now when I go buy fresh produce I will know how to properly use the ingredients. Prepping fresh produce was an intimidating thought but this episode helped remove that worry. My only remaining concern would be the higher prices at farmers markets but after this episode I believe that the health benefits and fresh taste out weight the savings.
Hi Anthony! I did not watch the episode you did but I agree that all produce looks the same to the untrained eye. Now that I am moved out, I solely responsible for what I eat. I go to grocery stores and the organic and inorganic items all look the same to me. It's so easy to buy the inorganic items as they're cheaper. I think farmer's markets are a great way to ensure you buy proper food that's organic and sustainable because that's all foods in the market. However, you are correct that the prices will be higher. That is one of the reasons why I stay away from the markets. -Nina-Nhi Pham
Episode 5: "Herbs and Sauces" I always struggled with cooking with herbs as I never really knew what to pair them up with. I was too scared to try what they actually tasted like so I always assumed they would be interchangeable. I knew that rosemary and potatoes were a good pair but I never thought that mustard would do good with rosemary either. I don't really like mustard so I would never try it. I also found it very interesting that you can make ranch from scratch. I especially did not expect the ingredients that went into it. All my life I thought ranch was just a mysterious sauce. -Nina-Nhi Pham
As a consumer who cooks majority of my own meals, I was so unaware how cooking oils could have such distinct different purposes. I am generally guilty of using extra virgin olive oil every time I use oils. I was interested in watching this episode because I have heard how certain oils can contribute to poor gut health and make me inflamed. The information in this episode differentiated between the many reasons to use different cooking oils and fats at different times, and how to store spices. An interesting fact from this episode was that all oils are fats but not all fats are oils, I never thought of this fact in this way, but it makes sense. A few tips from this episode pertaining to when you should use what oil include that cold pressed and extra virgin oils are good for consuming on prepped food and minimally naturally refined oil are good for high heat and cooking. I appreciated how Libby focused on how all of our choices with food pertain to the environment throughout the entire video. -Ashley Russell
April Hernandez Episode 9-"Sweet Snacks" So I decided to watch the Sweet Snacks videos because one of my bad habits is that I always want something sweet. I always end up eating some really unhealthy snack and because it does not have nutrients I do not get full so then I end up eating a lot more than I need to. The popcorn sounds like a fun treat that is easy to make. I already knew about using sucanat instead of actual sugar and I will try incorporating it more into my cooking because I realized that pretty much everything I use is very processed. So I will try to find more organic options for my snacking.
Watching the Meat and Seafood, I had a lingering question about the quantity of grass-fed organic beef available. I know that the quality is undeniably better than the other options, but I couldn’t help but wonder about the amount of beef that is produced at that quality. From the bit of research that I have done, cattle need a lot of grazing land per individual and should be rotated from plot to plot to get the best quality. My concern is if more ranchers attempt to expand their grass-fed organic beef production, it will affect the surrounding environment since more land would have to be allocated to the cattle. If someone has some insight they can share with me on the topic it would be much appreciated because it’s something I have been wondering about. I also can’t help but mention that I could be my mother screaming in my head no metal on the metal pan when you were cooking the bison.
Watching this video really made me hungry and got me thinking about making moves towards cooking at home, especially since Libby made it look so simple to cook up a healthy flavorful soup with very minimal steps and skills. For me, it has always been a challenge to eat right, but when you consider all the things that are in foods, it really gets you thinking.
I had no idea that it only takes three simple ingredients to make crackers at home, butter, flour, and sesame seeds— pro-tip she adds, use cold butter as opposed to warm runny butter, as this will effect the texture of the finished product.
For anyone looking to start cooking at home and changing their dieting habits, I think this video provides a very easy to follow guide and discusses little tips and tricks for getting your meal just right— none of those strict set in stone/ little to no deviation instructions, which makes it pretty fool proof.
Tan Duy Nguyen Episode One "Farm to Table Freshness" After watching the episode, I never considered harvesting the seeds from bell peppers while cutting them. This is such a great idea to stay sustainable and use all parts of the produce bought. It was extremely helpful to see what the produce should look like had it been grown without genetically modified additions. I really enjoy watching the conversations with the farmers at the market. In my opinion, sustainable farmers should not use chemical pesticides, fertilizers or genetically modified seeds. In addition, I have never washed vegetables with vinegar to keep the vitamins and nutrients in their rinds and skins.
Episode 10: Meat and Seafood I found this episode super interesting and thought provoking. I also thought that the meals that Libby made looked really delicious. I loved how she provided her recipes and locations that you can find her organic items in addition to the video. When she discussed how you can notice the difference in quality and flavor of meats based on how they are raised I definitely agreed. I have recently learned how the practices used to raise animals include a lot of chemicals that are very harmful to the animals and the consumers of the meat that is produced. We must be more aware of what we are consuming and continue to question the processes that produce our foods. I found this video very insightful and I really loved the attention to detail she used to choose all of the ingredients. - Yahkhan Blackburn HM 370
Juliana Thornton Episode 9: Sweet Snacks This episode was super interesting and helpful. I'm definitely going to try some of those recipes and refer friends/family as well. By making snacks at home we can eliminate our intake of GMOs(genetically modified organisms) and also reduce food waste. When buying prepackaged food we don't know where it's coming from or what was used to create it. Often times companies waste a lot of product because they can't repurpose it. When cooking at home you can repurpose those items that typically would be thrown away. For example, coffee grounds can be used for compost, which can then be used to grow plants at home!
Episode Eight "Fun Fresh Snacks" I love snacking. I always be watching show, playing game, and snacking at the same time. I can ensure you that my snack is nowhere near fresh or healthy. I guess I never bother to make my own snack. It is interesting to learn that we always thought fat is bad for us, but fat extracting from walnuts or avocados are healthy. The video introduces how to make onion dips and guacamole, and chips. They are all way simpler to make than I thought, it only takes about 5 minutes and you will have a fresh dips with chips. It can possibly save a lot of money from purchasing shelve snacks. It also improves our diet. I love all the recommendation. My only concern is that since is being fresh and sustainable, it may has to be consume in a few days before it gets perish, what will be the best way to keep the dip longer?
I really found this episode to be insightful and relatable simultaneously. I absolutely love to snack as I tend to have multiple smaller meals throughout the day. Snacking helps fill in the gaps when I feel hungry in-between meals. I also love to bake and will most definitely use these recipes to impress my friends/family. The most relatable part of the video is the avocado mousse. In Vietnamese culture, we have a sweet dessert that takes a couple of ingredients and can be done in a matter of minutes. We add ice, avocado, and condesned milk/sugar to a blender. Once it's creamy, we pour it into a cup and enjoy. For texture, we can add extra mashed avocado and sugar after it has been blended. Now, I would like to try it your way and make a sort of avocado parfait. I have tried to become more mindful about the potential food waste I can cause if I purchase large amounts that are not needed. It is important to only purchase the amount of food that we need to make our dish. Excess food can go unnoticed in the fridge and rot if we forget about it. Not only have I learned this here, but I often go to farmers markets once in while to find the best honey, fruits, and vegetables. They have the best tasting products even though they may have a higher price than the grocery store. In this way, I can give back to the local farmers who work hard to make sure their products are fresh. I can also eliminate food waste and extra packaging I do not need.
Cynthia Tran Episode 9: Sweet Snacks I really found this episode to be insightful and relatable simultaneously. I absolutely love to snack as I tend to have multiple smaller meals throughout the day. Snacking helps fill in the gaps when I feel hungry in-between meals. I also love to bake and will most definitely use these recipes to impress my friends/family. The most relatable part of the video is the avocado mousse. In Vietnamese culture, we have a sweet dessert that takes a couple of ingredients and can be done in a matter of minutes. We add ice, avocado, and condensed milk/sugar to a blender. Once it's creamy, we pour it into a cup and enjoy. For texture, we can add extra mashed avocado and sugar after it has been blended. Now, I would like to try it your way and make a sort of avocado parfait. I have tried to become more mindful about the potential food waste I can cause if I purchase large amounts that are not needed. It is important to only purchase the amount of food that we need to make our dish. Excess food can go unnoticed in the fridge and rot if we forget about it. Not only have I learned this here, but I often go to farmers markets once in while to find the best honey, fruits, and vegetables. They have the best tasting products even though they may have a higher price than the grocery store. In this way, I can give back to the local farmers who work hard to make sure their products are fresh. I can also eliminate food waste and extra packaging I do not need.
I just finished watching episode 10 "Meat and Seafood". As mentioned by Libby, it is so important how the animal is raised, and that has much to do with quality of the meat or seafood. Like Libby I prefer to get my meat from the farmer directly where I can ensure the exact conditions that the animals experienced. According to their website, Diamond Mountain Ranch "is an all-natural, family-run ranch nestled in the hills of northern California. We provide high quality, free range, grass fed food to the golden state. Our animals include chicken, turkey, pork, beef, rabbits, lamb, yak, goat and our specialty: Bison." All natural ranches, free range and grass fed livestock must be certified to ensure that you are receiving the highest quality. Its interesting to note how Lazy Acres Protein Specialist Jason Jarrard mentioned that shoppers should eat the fresh meat products within two days to ensure the best quality. He also spoke about sustainable seafood which doesn't harm future stocks of the species, includes both maritime and fresh water seafood. I love how Libby created a beautiful meal with sustainable livestock and seafood. I'm sure it tasted better because of the certified quality and freshness. My question is, if you are located far away from such an all natural ranch or speciality market, is there an online source to order such sustainable livestock and seafood?
Natasha Kleian I just finished watching the “Sweet Snacks” video and I learned so many new recipes and additional information that I will be adding into my diet. The first big takeaway from the video was the sucanat sugar. I think that is a great substitute that I will now implement instead of white sugar. I’ve learned that it is important to have a well balanced diet, therefore the nuts for protein were a good addition. Another point I learned was about honey. I didn’t know that eating local honey can help build immunity to pollen around you. All in all, I will probably end up trying all of the recipes. They look so good and on top of that they are so much better for you than conventional snacks. I am excited to try that avocado mouse because I am a big fan of avocados. Whenever I am craving sugar, I know what to make now.
The Farm to Table Freshness episode is so inspiring to eat nutritionally and what to look/ask for in fresh produce. I love the advocation for shopping at local farmers markets to have those direct conversations with vendors to get the full picture of how their produce is grown, what preventative measures are taken for bugs/germs and when in the lifecycle/how many days prior the produce was picked. I had heard of eating the rainbow before, but I hadn’t fully understood what that meant prior to your video. I will try to incorporate more colors of the rainbow in my meals to get those nutrients from the different pigments/nutrients. Furthermore, I love the at-home washing solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water that will kill micro bacteria and allow the produce to last 2-3 extra days in the fridge.
I watched Episode 3 about Fats and Spices and I was surprised how in-depth the choice of fats can be when purchasing those items at the store. It always came into that most of the fats and spices were nearly identical. Now I know I will be using cold pressed oil as my main oil for cooking whenever I make food in the kitchen. This video would be of great use to anyone who's missing or demanding redundant antioxidants and enzymes in their systems, it's super affordable and simple. What I want to do however is see if I can incorporate what I learned in this occasion not just into cuisine, but into baking sweets and desserts as well. I would make alternatives like a nutritional cookie or pie crust.
My family tends to have leftovers very consistently. Watching episode 6 on repurposing leftovers, makes me think about how to utilize other ingredients to bring your leftovers back to life with a fresh and delicious taste to it. I know for society as a whole, food wastage is a current standing problem that needs to be addressed. I feel that most of that wastage comes from leftovers. One of the reasons I would say might have to do with not knowing what to cook or make of those leftovers because sometimes you have to improvise with ingredients you may not commonly use or pair together. With the cost of produce going up in recent years, my mother and I have been growing our own vegetables and fruits in the backyard. Doing so, has taught us about the ingredients themselves as well as methods for growing and taking care of it. Concerning the current state of food prices, in order to address and sustain the triple bottom line, people cannot count on grocery stores and business to do all the work. Families should start trying to have their own little produce for what they can. By growing your own food, you can help better understand the nature of food health and agricultural techniques.
Hi Rolin! I should definitely watch that video as well. I'm always so worried about buying too much food or ending up with leftovers. Learning to repurpose leftovers is not only good for the environment by not being wasteful, but it can also save you money by creating a whole other meal! It kind of reminds me of how my parents would always use leftover rice and vegetables to make fried rice!
I loved watching the soups and crackers video. This past month I have actually been trying to cook way more of my meals at home. Mainly, so I can have a better control over the ingredients I use and knowledge of the recipe. I made a butternut squash soup last week and it was so simple and fun. It was really cool to me because the only ingredients were: squash, garlic, chicken broth, and salt. In this video, Libby talks about how she prefers to make things her self because she does not always know what a company is putting in their products exactly. In my class, we learned about a former Olympic athlete who turned his diet around after suffering with an autoimmune disorder. He started a restaurant that uses local, fresh, and real food. It just goes to show that the food we put into our bodies really matters even for Olympic athletes.
I watched “The Rainbow Game” episode and started implementing this method into my everyday daily habits. Naturally, I enjoy all types of foods and vegetables. I did not realize how easily I can consume various nutrients just by following the colors of the food I eat. I do notice that my energy levels are up from before. So now, when I do cook, I try to incorporate different color ingredients. This method really helps me keep up with what nutrients I am missing based on what color I did not eat yet. I really enjoyed the recipes because they really are all doable. My personal favorite was the yogurt parfait. Its something that I can make in a reasonable time.
The episode I chose was "Farm to Table Freshness", where Ms. Gustin discusses how it is a good choice to buy fresh food from a farmer's market to ensure that the quality is high, and also so that vendors can be asked questions directly about the produce. Ms. Gustin also provides some useful methods to ensure that the freshly bought food is safe to consume by explaining how to properly soak or wash vegetables with water and vinegar. Finally, Ms. Gustin shows how to be sustainable by composting anything that she chooses not to consume and can be used for the environment beneficially.
Prior to watching Sweet Snack episode, I was definitely already aware that my favorite snacks such as chips and candy were unhealthy for me especially since they are such processed. I’m a constant snacker and am always carrying something in my bag in case I need a pick me up so I was really excited to see a video that was going to teach me healthier snack options with less processed sugars. I absolutely love popping my own popcorn and I appreciated that this episode talked about how more affordable it is to just buy bagged kernels instead of bagged popcorn. I also find bagged popcorn too fatty and oily and it was an interesting fact to learn that most of our corn is genetically modified but popcorn isn’t! I can’t wait to incorporate this sweet and savory popcorn recipe into my movie night rotation. I felt like the avocado mousse and peanut butter cookies both looked delicious and easy to make as well. All of the items needed are quite common pantry items so these recipes are definitely doable and quick!
The video I watch was video 1 - farm to table freshness and having the privilege of taking a class with Libby Gustin I got to learn these tips and tricks firsthand. Our body is something that we should tale car. of so it only makes sense to put things in it that you know are going to be good for your health and will have a. beneficial outcome as you consume it. Going to the farmers market allows you to understand your ingredients a little more as the vendors a knowledgeable in what they are selling. The part that I found the most intriguing was the vendor who made is own pesticide out of chillies, to prevent bugs from getting on the produce. After watching the video there is so much food waste that could be cutback if everyone reused ingredients like libby did. This could be as easy as saving the seeds like she did and start your own garden.
Vanessa Neeley HM 370 The episode that i watched was episode 1 "Farm to Table Freshness". Asking the vendors at farmer’s markets is a very important thing to do if you are wanting to know that your food is truly going to be farm-to-table fresh. As learned in class, Libby explained that it is completely okay to ask the vendors questions especially because you are the one spending the money on the food. The knowledge of the food you buy is essential. It was extremely exciting to see that the vendors were well-educated in the products that they were selling. Using nature to keep pests away is such an amazing thing to hear because pesticides are taking over and not good for our health. Drying produce after using the vinegar and water mixture is essential to keeping produce last 2 to 3 days longer than they normally would because as long as the produce is dry, the cleaning solution can do its job. Eating all the colors of the rainbow equals getting all of the essential nutrients needed for the everyday nutrition of the body. Vine-ripe veggies and fruits are the best way to go when it comes to buying these foods because they exude all of the nutrients, vitamins, and healthy components that are vital to living a healthy lifestyle.
The episode that I watches was episode 9 "Sweet Snacks". I never realized that I have consumed so much processed sugar daily. After watching this video, I did educate myself a little bit about processed sugar. I found out that processed sugar not only contributes to bad overall health, but is also one of the main reasons for terrible diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, and stroke risk. Furthermore, I like the way that she manages to make ingredients by herself. The peanut butter part blew my mind off, I didn't know that manufacturers could sell their customer spoiled peanuts. There should be more videos and lectures that educate people about processed sugar like this.
I haven’t had much experience making my own sauces at home but I was really intrigued by a lot of the information presented here and feel inspired to experiment with making my own. I think it would be really fun to try and make use of leftover herbs by including them into a sauce and seeing what flavors would work well together that I’ve never tried before. I never thought to add different flavors into something such as mustard but I think doing this with various sauces could also be a good way to spice up and revamp something I’m already familiar with and maybe getting tired of eating while also utilizing ingredients I already have. I have known for a while now how your own chicken broth can be made at home but seeing it actually be saved and used for so long is now making me want to think of different ways I can stretch and utilize other food items I have at home that could make something I would otherwise have to buy. I think it would be beneficial for anyone to think of different ways to utilize ingredients you already have to make something else to help reduce food waste and thus increase sustainable eating. One concern I have with producing more food at home, such as sauces or dips, is the cost that may come with it. While I know that making food at home is typically cheaper in the long run, I don’t usually see this being the case with more sustainable, fresh options which were recommended to use here. Now I find myself asking if there is ever a way that we can make sustainable food options affordable for everyone? Ideally I would like to be eating and producing more healthy food at home, but I, along with many other people, don’t have the means to afford it right now.
I often hear that the more colors on your plate, the healthier and more appetizing it is. The colors are not from dyes, but from the food’s natural pigments. Looks can be deceiving when eating out, such as in dessert places if they overdo the aesthetic of foods by adding unnecessary coloring to attract more customers. It is better to prepare your own food so you know what exactly your body is consuming. The Rainbow Game video explained how eating a variety of naturally colored food gives more nutrients, and showed different dishes using fresh ingredients of all colors. I thought this was interesting because I learned new methods to incorporate more colors in a healthier way instead of eating plain, bland meals. I do not see a lot of blue or purple foods, so it was helpful to learn about what I can use, such as purple potatoes mixed with quinoa as a pizza crust. Eating more colorful foods would be a fun way to experiment with new dishes and broaden my taste buds, while achieving a full, nutrient-dense meal.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the sweet snack video because I am someone with a sweet tooth that likes to snack. I typically go for chips and other processed foods that are not good for me. I enjoyed that the recipes were both beneficial for the environment, body, and cravings. I never thought of making a sauce for popcorn, and the addition to cinnamon is such a great idea. Peanut butter cookies are also my favorite cookies and It was great to see how to make a healthier version. I also liked the addition of honey to the recipe. The addition of seasonal items in these recipes was also great.
ReplyDeleteI love your snack recipes that satisfy the sugar craving, provide some proteins, and at the same time take care of the environment. Moreover, I love your recipes because they are great combinations of organic ingredients, which have neither pesticides nor genetically modified organism. I love the idea that people can support and protect the environment by eating organic foods from the local farm markets. The pesticides harm not only the insects but also the soil, the health of farmers and the health of consumers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that by making food by ourselves we can control what kind of food and how much of it we put in our bodies.
I know white sugar has no nutrients but I do not know that white sugar inhibits the body from absorbing nutrients. Thank you for introducing me sucanat sugar. I will share these recipes with my mom.
Hi Libby,
ReplyDeleteAll of your recipes are great! I particularly liked the snack episode because I am a girl who is constantly snacking or eating. I usually go for the processed foods that I Know aren’t any good for me, but as a college student and part time employee I look for whatever I can eat at the earliest convenience. One recipe that really stood out to me was the Peanut butter cookies because those are my favorite cookies! I will definitely be testing that one out for myself. I love that all your recipes are made with local products and are both great for the environment and ourselves. Your website is full of great content, I learn something new every time I visit.
I watched the Fun Fresh snacks video and learned how to make a variety of dips. These dips are a great alternative to store bought dips because as the cook, you know exactly what the ingredients are and where they are sourced. For the first dip, the walnuts and lemon could come straight from the farmer's market, meaning the food didn't have to travel too far, which lessens its impact on the environment. I wonder if we could use any kind of oil for the fist dip or does it have to be olive oil, because I hear that growing olives is very water intensive, so I try to avoid them. During the guacamole recipe, I learned that the darker parts of the avocado contain more of the nutrients. I did know that the darker the vegetable, the more vitamins are in it, so this fact made sense. I believe that Himalayan salt or sea salt are better for you than table salt because I read that a certain (small) percentage of table salt contains microplastics - yikes! I never thought to bake the chips instead of fry them, so I think I'll have to try that out.
ReplyDeleteIn class we talk a lot about where the food comes from and I completely agree if you start preparing your snacks you won't wonder if the snack is harming you. I am a chip person myself and I know I couldn't read all of the ingredients on the back of a hot Cheeto bag. It is about now you the chef doing your research and hitting up farmers markets and businesses like buy ranchers direct. Yes, reducing emissions from farm to table is key that was one of the ideas presented to our class that Libby teaches. Grace Ferguson
DeleteI just watched the “Sweet Snacks” episode on Libby’s Kitchen and now my mouth won’t stop watering! I am so incredibly excited to try out all these delicious treats.
ReplyDeleteSomething I really appreciate about this episode was how Libby knew exactly where all her ingredients came from. For Pete’s sake, she even made her own peanut butter! I think this is the true definition of sustainability because she really does try to preserve the integrity of everything she buys and consumes.
I also appreciate how Libby addressed how we crave foods and how to satiate the cravings by providing our bodies with the proper nutrients. For example, she suggested adding the nuts to the popcorn so that the consumer remains satiated. This parallels much of what I have seen with true food sustainability -- if we provide our bodies with what it truly needs, which means also addressing the cravings and seeing what we are actually lacking, we will not crave the unhealthy things as much and will be able to cue into our bodies as functioning machines.
Does anyone else have any recipes for sustainable sweet treats I can try? I definitely want to get into sustainable cooking and baking!
I finished watching the "Sweet Snacks" episode on Libbys Kitchen and honestly I have never enjoyed watching someone making sweet snacks how she has. Im excited to create my own snacks with all the tips she provides. If you would follow step by step, I bet it would come out as wonderful and delicious looking as her recipes. Event though her first recipe was the popcorn, that straightly caught my attention to make because once the syrup was added, I can taste the texture in my mouth. What I also enjoy is how Libby informs where her products she uses are purchased and how much it costs. From thinking that all sweets contain the same calories, there are other sweets that will contain less of what we usually consume, but a great recommendation would be if we would follow Libbys recipes. Has anyone seen or heard of a recipe how Libby recommends to use while craving sweets?
ReplyDeleteI finished watching the "Sweet Snacks" episode on Libbys Kitchen and honestly I have never enjoyed watching someone making sweet snacks how she has. Im excited to create my own snacks with all the tips she provides. If you would follow step by step, I bet it would come out as wonderful and delicious looking as her recipes. Event though her first recipe was the popcorn, that straightly caught my attention to make because once the syrup was added, I can taste the texture in my mouth. What I also enjoy is how Libby informs where her products she uses are purchased and how much it costs. From thinking that all sweets contain the same calories, there are other sweets that will contain less of what we usually consume, but a great recommendation would be if we would follow Libbys recipes. Has anyone seen or heard of a recipe how Libby recommends to use while craving sweets?
ReplyDeleteI just watched “Farm to Table Freshness”, episode one which is about being more aware of what is put on your plate. After watching this episode I learn about how shopping at farmer markets a better option because you get to directly as the vendors how their product or produce are made/grown. I did not know how to pick produce but now I know that the best type of produce to pick is vine ripe. I always just picked the prettiest one. It is interesting knowing that buying fresh produce is important but knowing how to correctly store them is very important as well. The key is to keep the vegetables dry after washing them. I never washed my vegetables before I put them in the fridge but I do wash them when I eventually plan to cook. There is a sustainable trick from the video that I want to share and is the little net material bag which is found when you purchase garlic. You can reuse that and make it into a little kitchen nonstick scrubber.
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ReplyDeleteAs someone who makes their own spice blends I enjoyed this episode. Understanding that fat-soluble vitamins needs a fat delivery system to truly get all of the benefits is a very overlooked proponent of recipes. The Mediterranean spice that you made and than used was interesting but with the cumin, curry and coriander, I would call it a more Indian blend than a Mediterranean blend. I love the use of cauliflower though as I feel that it really is an outstanding vegetable with a very mild taste, that really accentuates any spice blend that you put on it. I have a similar recipe but its a more Hungarian style that ups the smoked paprika and garlic, but omits the cumin, curry and coriander and adds granulated onion. I then bake the cauliflower head whole with the spice blend on it with olive oil and slice wedges off as a side dish.
After watching "Farm to Table Freshness", I learned how to looks for freshness and if it was sustainable or not. I also like how you ask the vendor about their produce in order to confirm that the produce is fresh from the farm. In addition, from watching the video I take notice in the color of the produce and also how to cut the the produce without abuse the produce. I see that in the video you, Libby, mention how to save the seed to grow the produce ourself.
ReplyDeleteHi Sinaporn!
DeleteThe “Farm to Table Freshness” Episode seems to be another very informative lesson on sustainability and learning how to apply those lessons in real life. Going to farmers’ markets is one thing but knowing how to properly pick out fruits and vegetables and other produce is a completely different topic that is certainly helpful to ensure that you get the most out of your experience. Buying produce at the grocery store was really overwhelming for me when I first started cooking for myself. You see a pile of vegetables and knowing which one is the perfect pick was truly a puzzle in the beginning. I learned the basics of picking the right produce from my grandma when I was growing up, but perhaps other people do not have the same experience. Dr. Gustin’s episode on this very topic can be very useful to others who are venturing out to cook for themselves at home but may not have had the aid of their family’s knowledge or experience on where to start. Knowing which fruit or veggie is the right pick, and then how to properly cut and prepare them, are essential things to know to create that nutritious first meal!
I loved watching you shop at Lazy Acres in "Meat and Seafood". I thought it was very interesting to learn about how the cattle are fed. I had always assumed all cattle were grass fed and had availability to an open pasture. It was also neat learning that even the grass they eat can be organic because you never know what fertilizers of chemicals lie within the pasture. Now I know to specifically look for organic grass fed when I shop. I'm also glad to know that I should only freeze fresh meat and seafood. Thanks, Libby!
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching Libby’s episode on “Repurposing Leftovers.” I love to eat healthy and when Libby was at the farm talking to Jesse, it really inspired me to visit a farm someday soon. It is certainly nice to be reminded that the “food comes from the land, not a grocery store,” as Libby said. It truly makes one appreciate produce a lot more knowing that it takes approximately three months to grow. I also love the fact that Jesse brings the leftover produce to low-income areas and gives it away for free. I have been volunteering with Food Forward and have been helping distribute a lot of food to low income areas like Inglewood and Watts.
Although I have been to farmer’s markets plenty of times, I have not ever actually purchased produce from any of the vendors. I have been inspired recently to shop vendors at farmer’s markets. I do not cook often and I am not used to cooking with a lot of fresh produce in one meal. However, one really yummy meal that I have cooked is spaghetti squash boats with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onion, and pineapple.
I work at a farm to table restaurant so I do get to see a lot of creative dishes being prepared. The cauliflower horseradish puree that my job has is one interesting thing that comes to mind, which is absolutely delicious by the way. I want to start learning to cook deliciously nutritious meals from scratch and Libby’s episode definitely taught me some really cool recipes.
The ways in which Libby demonstrated repurposing leftovers is awesome. Beans are so cheap and such a good source of protein and the bean soup and dip she made were such good ideas. Using ingredients in different ways can eliminate the 40-50% of food waste that happens in houses by a long shot. I am definitely going to explore different meals when I get back in the kitchen. I do eat leftovers often, especially for holidays like the one that just passed, Thanksgiving. This episode informed me on the fact that food loses its nutrients after 1-2 days and each day after that. I was completely MIND BLOWN at the fact she made pie crust from rice, like what?! I am going to try the quiche and the shepard’s pie too. YUM!
After watching Episode Seven, “Soups and Crackers,” I realized just how simple it is to create delicious and nutrient-rich soup. Including bone into a meat or animal broth will bring out even more nutritious substances, which is actually reminds me of the way my grandma cooks soups, I just did not realize just how better for you bone broths were. The order in which to cook the vegetables that would go into a soup is so crucial as well, to get the most out of the plant’s nutritional value. So many kinds of vegetables went into the soup, and they all looked like they balanced each other out to create a perfect harmony. Dr. Gustin also provided a great example of just how easy it is to create your own homemade crackers. With just those three ingredients in her recipe, she was able to create a packet of crackers that you would typically buy at the grocery store, but instead, it was made right at home. The simplicity of the ingredients, but the intricate combination of vitamins and minerals was such an interesting thing to watch unfold through this episode. From the cutting board to the pots and baking sheets, two delicious soups of different textures and flavors were made, alongside hearty, homemade crackers that created a lovely meal that could feed the whole family.
ReplyDeleteI am a snack person. I love to have eat snack everywhere I go and I especially like to snack on chips. I would always go to the supermarket to buy dips and chips to snack at home. My favorite dip is always the 7 layers dips, which is very rich in fat from the sour cream and the processed bean. When reading the title of this episode, I never could have imagined that making fresh snacks can actually be such a common food that is usually very unhealthy. I was very fascinated by the Muhammara recipe.I understand that nuts are very healthy for the body and the fact that Muhammara dip is made from walnut is just amazing. The dip itself is very nutritious with a great amount of healthy fat, nutrients and vitamins. The recipe of the onion dip was something new that I just learn as well. Since young, I was only taught about Greek yogurt being an alternative for sour cream. Now, I learned about the culture cream and it is great as it doesn't have a sour flavor like yogurt. It seems that the cultured cream is great for many cream sauces and I can see myself incorporating this cream into my future food dishes. Overall, this episode of Libby's Sustainable Kitchen have helped me learn that sustainable eating doesn't have to be eating non-tasty food, it only means eating food that contain more natural nutrients and less bad fat such as trans-fat as well as processed salt. Eating sustainability is simply picking fresh and natural ingredients and turning them into your favorite food. Dishes like chips and dips could be done the healthy way as well if you know how to substitute unhealthy ingredients with healthy ingredients.
ReplyDeleteJaynie Vo
The 'Fats & Spices' video is very fun and I learned a lot! Fats tend to be over looked as a source of nutrients because of the simple fact it is categorized as fat and most do not see it as an extra source of benefits. Spices are also a powerhouse of nutrients and flavor that can benefit any meal.
ReplyDeleteKnowing the difference of what should be used as cooking oil and what should be used as a "finisher" is helpful. Adding in those extra nutrients would benefit while also holding the true flavor of the oil without deteriorating it with heat. The idea of ghee would be an excellent alternative to those that are looking for the benefits of a butter without the lactose. What was mentioned in this video is the use of grass-fed butter. According to Dr. Gustin's blog post "Pesticide Soup or Healthy Bone Broth" the conventional animal raised in a commercial setting has been more than likely presented with glyphosate that is strong enough to penetrate and affect bones. Milk obtained from these animals can more than likely cause hurtful side effects later in life as well as cause an imbalance in the diet and person. The importance of using grass-fed butter when making ghee can help from avoiding glyphosate and much cleaner tasting ghee.
The spice section of the video was informative and well balanced. Making spices and prepping them ahead of time can ease cooking when one has no time. It can also benefit repetitive meals or meals that lack any flavor which are common to canned or processed foods. The affordability of spices can help families or individuals that are in situations where they do not have financial stability to prep meals by making their own variety as well as the ability to familiarize food that would otherwise been overlooked because they are not familiar with it and scared to taste it. Jamie Oliver was on Ted Talk a couple years back and introduced children to common vegetables. Unfortunately, children in America are so removed from the harvesting and planting aspects of food they are clueless, for a lack of a better word, to produce. Spices can ease these introductions to children by adding in flavors inspired by tacos or spaghetti or easily palletable flavors. Although, most families might not know how to. Jamie Oliver further added that up to 3 generations of families have backed out of cooking at home and removed the ability for children and themselves to be knowledgeable in spices and foods.
Can the added knowledge of spices benefit families overcome food boundaries set by their unfamiliarity of certain foods?
-Marilena Pantoja-Sanchez
I watched episode 6: Repurposing Leftovers". I was drawn to this episode because I like to eat leftovers and make new dishes out of them. Usually it involves chicken and rice and creating a salad with them. I learned that I can create new dishes that incorporate more vegetables and even different varieties of vegetables like the purple potatoes in the shepherds pie. I've made my own bean dip from pinto beans before, but never have I seen a soup of that consistency being made with them. I also never seen cauliflower as a dipping option so now I want to try it. Healthy food can be fun to make and eat! Having a sustainable kitchen not only decreases the amount of food waste, but also ensures the consumer is getting the most for their dollar AND is getting the most use/nutrients out of their food. I'm glad this episode was informative and included Jesse's farm.
ReplyDeleteAnyssa Smith
I have always been drawn to aesthetically pleasing colors in terms of foods. I loved the rainbow foods episode because it touched on some really important topics. People always seem to struggle when it comes to getting all the proper nutrients each day so by starting with just the color; and making sure you eat all the colors of the rainbow each day you are filling your body with all of the nutrients you need. I liked the idea of rather than limiting your daily intake of foods, you should expand your options in terms of all different colors. By doing this and paying attention to how your body responds, you tend not to over-eat and will get all of the nutrients needed.
ReplyDelete-Julie Lacey
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ReplyDeleteCourtney Buckels HM 370 Section 01
ReplyDeleteAfter I watched the “Sweet Snacks “ episode, I was inspired to try new healthy sweet treats. People exclude sugars from their diets, but I love the alternative sugar and toppings that were presented in the episode. Store-bought snacks can contain an excessive amount of sugars that are unneeded in the ingredients. I thought it was insightful on how the peanuts were the source of protein in the popcorn. In addition, I was very impressed by the avocado sweet treat because I would have not thought that avocados could be sweet and enjoyable in that form. This episode taught me that you can still enjoy your favorite treats in a healthier and more sustainable way. These treats would be perfect for parties and little get-togethers with friends and families. I will look into recreating these treats as an after school snack instead of buying snacks from the store that contains an unhealthy amount of sugars. There are many benefits to eating locally and sustainably grown food. This will guarantee your cravings to be met and your sweet tooth to be satisfied in a healthy and sustainable manner.
Hi Courtney,
DeleteI just watched that episode and found it inspiring as well. I think it was great that you pointed out that people try to exclude sugars all together, but they don't have to. It was mentioned in the video that it is important to have a balanced diet and that includes eating healthy sugars. I resonate with you on trying to make these healthy snacks instead of buying unhealthy ones from the store.
I was interested in sweet snacks that I usually eat a lot. I never imagined that I could make popcorn, not instant. But I was grateful that it was easy to make snacks through this videos and it was a great way to protect the environment and my health. I couldn't imagine having popcorn in a short time and making popcorn with the flavor what I wanted. It was so easy that even someone like me who did not cook well could easily do it. It was amazing to be able to make whipped cream that I thought was unhealthy with fresh ingredients like coconut oil and a bit of honey. If I have not made it myself, I might be thought it was a whip cream that had a bad effect on the body and only fat. It is the best way that I can make my own food and know what ingredients were in my food. I can tempt to challenge myself to make my snacks at the recommended daily dose with some sweet “sustainable food” like honey and maple syrup.
ReplyDeleteMakayla Jenkins HFHM 370
ReplyDeleteI feel I really enjoy Libby Gustin’s "Farm to Table Freshness" because it touched on a lot of important topics in a short time span. I noticed topics such as keeping the plate rainbow, the correct washing procedures of produce, making sure to get sustainable produce from reliable sources, and different ways to prepare things we use (i.e salad dressing) on a regular basis. However, the topic that caught my eye the most was the farmer’s market questioning forum. I noticed that different vendors were either really confident in their answers while others seemed a little more hesitate. It got me thinking that if the vendor is actually a reliable one, then they would most likely be one of the more confident ones because they have nothing to hide about their product and can answer any question that is thrown at them. Natural pesticides, such as chili peppers, was something I never knew existed until watching this video and it was an extremely interesting detail that made me feel better about “organic” labeled produce I may purchase online, in-store, and/or in farmers market.
The Grains & Beans video was definitely interesting and very informative! As someone whose family eats a lot of grains we have definitely been storing them in a way that I’m not sure may be the best. We typically store our grains such as white rice and brown rice in a tupperware in a cabinet in our kitchen. I did notice that an airtight container was mentioned but the type of storage material is not mentioned. How effective or harmful would a plastic tupperware be when storing rice? My family has slowly shifted throughout the years from white to brown rice - I always knew it was healthier but I was never sure why until I watched this video! We also typically buy big bags of rice and keep using the rice until we finish it. We never would throw it out until it’s done, so it’s interesting to see that the span of time you should keep these grains is much shorter than I expected. Now I know that I should get the right amounts of food so it won’t go to waste - Lazy Acres is definitely a place I would want to shop at after learning all the information from this video!
ReplyDelete-Tiffany Noelle Moore
Sarah Skidmore HM 370
ReplyDeleteI felt myself gravitate towards the "Fun Fresh Snacks" video because I really enjoy the occasional snack between meals. Finding out that there are really easy snacks you can make for yourself or to share with others was very interesting to me because I've known that it's something I should be doing, but always thought making them would be a daunting task. It turns out the prep and cook times aren't so bad! When I'm at the store I try to be somewhat mindful of the snacks I am buying, but even then they are usually processed in some way. It's important to be more aware of the stuff that is being put into your body and I'm trying to figure out how to do that and how to live a sustainable lifestyle and this video definitely showed me easy ways to start! For starters, I can't wait to try making my own tortilla chips because they looked so simple and tasty, especially with the guacamole dip. The quinoa patties also seemed like a very filling snack that would keep me from eating too much in between meals, which I am definitely guilty of. Learning about the ingredients used for snacks that can replace it's more processed counterparts, so I can actually absorb the intended nutrients, will be a huge improvement for me and I'm excited to continue expanding my knowledge on sustainability!
I enjoyed watching the "Fun Fresh Snacks" video. I snack more than I eat full meals so it is important for me to learn how to snack in a healthy way. It is super exciting to hear that avocados can boost your metabolism because I consume a lot of guacamole. Also, finding ways to substitute traditionally less healthy items, like sour cream, from more health boosting ingredients, such as cultured cream, is a good technique for living a healthier life style. I have learned that making snacks is that are healthy is easier than I imagine.
ReplyDelete- Miki Clippinger
I thought the Sweet Snacks episode was great and the popcorn looked delicious. My younger brother and my dad love to snack on popcorn while we watch movies so I am excited to try that out on our next movie night. Adding protein to your snacks is a great idea I never thought of to get you full faster without over eating. Just like a salad without protein won't keep me full for very long, a bowl of popcorn will have me overeating without ever keeping me satisfied. The coconut whipped cream was also very interesting to see. I expected you would use coconut milk and was quite surprised when I saw a whole coconut on the table! The texture seemed light and creamy and I feel like I could eat in by the spoonful on its own, however I'm sure it would be delicious with the avocado mousse as well. I've seen many recipes on avocado mousse before, however they normally contained an overpowering ingredient like chocolate to mask the avocado flavor. This was the first time I ever encountered a recipe for avocado mousse where you actually enhanced the flavor of the avocado. I can't wait to try it out when I am able to get sweet, ripe avocados in season! The peanut butter cookies were so easy to make with only 3 ingredients and using homemade peanut butter just makes them that much more special. I look forward to making them at home.
ReplyDeleteI really loved this video (The Rainbow Game) and this game idea! I have always heard that you should be eating a variety of colors, but when you put it in the idea of a game it makes it much more interesting and fun. I really enjoyed the recipes that were shown in this video. They all seemed pretty quick and simple (with exception to the pizza crust) and a great way to get your daily dose of color! I also like how the video touched on the idea of nutrient loss in the breakfast example. She mentioned how in flavored yogurts with fruits in them, you are not getting as many nutrients as you would with fresh fruit. So an easy alternative is to instead get plain yogurt and add your desired fresh fruit and then some honey to sweeten it. I am currently in a class called “Exploring Sustainable Food Systems” where we have learned all about nutrient losses. As soon as the fruit or vegetable is cut from the vine, it begins to die and lose nutrients. Therefore, if it is thrown into yogurt and packaged up, it is much less nutrient dense then if you were to buy it from the store or farmers market and eat it right away. The whole idea of eating variety can sometimes be tricky, especially if you are really obsessed with a certain recipe or food, but it is very important to get the different nutrients from the different colors on a daily basis. I also liked when she talked about how we need to focus on what we should eat rather than what we shouldn’t eat, because when we do this we will be filled up on nutrients that we won’t want to eat anything else.
ReplyDelete-Kayla Robbins
Just finished the Sweet Snacks video and I was very impressed with how someone can make still eat "snacks" but at the same time still be healthy. Having a sweet tooth myself, It has been a challenge to find a healthy snack that I can truly enjoy. Many berries and nuts can satisfy ones cravings vs. the alternative junk food. Also avocados can be very satisfying and healthy. Watching her make the peanut butter was very intriguing because of the ingredients that were used. Before watching this, i didn't know it was possible to have healthy versions of your favorite snacks. Cookies are one of my treasured treats, so watching the peanut butter cookies be made, made me want to jump up and follow the recipe! Moving forward I want to make a better effort to using some sustainable ingredients to make healthier snack options that I can enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHi Libby!
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching your "Sweet Snacks" video and all i can say is, I am craving some popcorn! Before watching this video i was under the impression that popcorn was genetically modified. I was accustomed to the comfort of movie theater pop corn and microwave popcorn because the process seemed less time consuming but i didn't question the unhealthy ingredients until now. Thank you for the informative video on how i can prepare a healthy snack such as pop corn by preparing it with healthier oils in a short amount of time. I will more effort in finding snacks that are more sustainable for the environment and also enjoyable for my taste buds. This past year i've been reflecting on my sugar intake because i am a huge fan of sweets but now i am looking forward to replacing white sugar and making desserts for the holidays with healthier ingredients that are less detrimental for my health and the environment.
Hi Libby!
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching your "Sweet Snacks" video and all i can say is, I am craving some popcorn! Before watching this video i was under the impression that popcorn was genetically modified. I was accustomed to the comfort of movie theater pop corn and microwave popcorn because the process seemed less time consuming but i didn't question the unhealthy ingredients until now. Thank you for the informative video on how i can prepare a healthy snack such as pop corn by preparing it with healthier oils in a short amount of time. I will more effort in finding snacks that are more sustainable for the environment and also enjoyable for my taste buds. This past year i've been reflecting on my sugar intake because i am a huge fan of sweets but now i am looking forward to replacing white sugar and making desserts for the holidays with healthier ingredients that are less detrimental for my health and the environment.
Ocean Spikes
Wow, I love the “Sweet Snacks” episode. I have a sweet tooth and I will always want something sweet when at I am at school or even at home. However, the sweets that I usually munch on are junk food and refined sugars like candies, cookies, ice cream and more. Of course, I realized that is not the best snack to munch on but after watching this episode it encouraged me to create a better and healthier alternative like the peanut butter cookies with cacao or replacing whipped cream from the store to making coconut whipped cream at home. I also love the idea that people can support and protect the environment by purchasing and consuming foods from the local farm markets. This episode taught me that you can still enjoy your favorite treats in a healthier and more sustainable way. These treats would be perfect for parties and little get-togethers with friends and families. It also taught me understand the importance of sustainable eating, I would like to share this information to my friends and family.
ReplyDeleteBrittney Song
Response to Episode 4: Working with Poultry
ReplyDeleteI love that you used Lazy Acres in your video since I’ve actually been there multiple times and I like it there. I never knew that there was a difference in air chilled versus water chilled and its good to know that Lazy Acres prefers the better quality way. I plan on only buying organic and pasture raised poultry if it's available from now on. I’m not too big on chicken and prefer to eat seafood but my mom loves chicken so I wanted to learn about it. I’m going to show my mom this video so she can get a better understanding as to why organic pasture-raised poultry is better. I never realized how many times I should be paying attention to sanitize everything I use with raw meat. I had never heard of brining before this video either. I’ve never learned this much about cooking before and I think this should be taught at least in high school.
Alina Pulido
I just watched episode seven, “Fun Fresh Snacks” and I am so happy to watch a video like this! I love any food that is quick and easy, and snacks are so perfect for me. I especially enjoyed the simplicity and ease that came with the dips (the onion dip is my favorite thing ever). I found it so interesting to learn that the darker parts of the avocado contain more nutrients than the lighter parts. This is a such a nice, handy tip when grocery shopping for greens. It makes the choice to choose a darker green, such as kale, over a lighter green, such as iceberg lettuce, so much easier. Thank you for all of your helpful tips and I will defiantly be attempting to recreate some of these recipes in the near future.
ReplyDelete- Tess Morales
The sweet snack video was my favorite of the bunch because I love to SNACK! Now in my own kitchen I am thinking are my ingredients sustainable? Sure they might be vegetables and chicken and various spices, but are they good for me and the environment? I as well eat a lot of snacks off of the shelf and discovering that even the nutrients that are their I am not receiving because of the preservatives and salt being used in them. Is kosher salt a good salt? I too have heard many misconceptions when it comes to avocadoes and nuts so I appreciate the clarification this video gave me. Walnuts are not only a better alternative to walnuts, but they are also sustainable. Almonds are not in class I learn that it takes one gallon of water to process one Almond and if milk is made the process is even costlier to the environment. I was unaware of the Avocado having a nutrient dense part compared to other parts that was surprising to me. I also had never thought to bake my chips I would have thought that they would not get crisp, but now I will bake instead of fry. Also the point where Libby said it is better to freeze sustainable food than too eat off the shelves is really processing with me because I never have time to make every meal because of how mobile my life is between work and school. Meal prepping would be a lot easier this way, in class sustainability is talked about a lot. If you begin cooking sustainable snacks and meals you will reduce waist and support local food growers and ranchers who use sustainable practices. It goes beyond what goodness you are putting into your body. Grace Ferguson
ReplyDeleteThe fun fresh snack video was my favorite of the bunch because I love to SNACK! Now in my own kitchen I am thinking are my ingredients sustainable? Sure they might be vegetables and chicken and various spices, but are they good for me and the environment? I as well eat a lot of snacks off of the shelf and discovering that even the nutrients that are their I am not receiving because of the preservatives and salt being used in them. Is kosher salt a good salt? I too have heard many misconceptions when it comes to avocadoes and nuts so I appreciate the clarification this video gave me. Walnuts are not only a better alternative to walnuts, but they are also sustainable. Almonds are not in class I learn that it takes one gallon of water to process one Almond and if milk is made the process is even costlier to the environment. I was unaware of the Avocado having a nutrient dense part compared to other parts that was surprising to me. I also had never thought to bake my chips I would have thought that they would not get crisp, but now I will bake instead of fry. Also the point where Libby said it is better to freeze sustainable food than too eat off the shelves is really processing with me because I never have time to make every meal because of how mobile my life is between work and school. Meal prepping would be a lot easier this way, in class sustainability is talked about a lot. If you begin cooking sustainable snacks and meals you will reduce waist and support local food growers and ranchers who use sustainable practices. It goes beyond what goodness you are putting into your body. Grace Ferguson
ReplyDeleteI just watched the Fun Fresh Snacks video and let me just say how surprised I was to find out there is a healthier way to make onion dip! I snack throughout the day, but It is nice to know that there are healthy alternatives to some ingredients. From this video, I will try to use Himalayan salt or sea salt instead of table salt because it is not processed. I would love to try all these dips, but recently I have been allergic reactions to food that have citrus, dairy, and onion. Hopefully, I can find alternatives to these! With my dairy allergy, I have made the switch to oat milk. I learned that there are other options to choose from, but oat milk is the most sustainable. In my sustainable foods class, I learned that it takes at least, if not more, than one gallon to clean/process a single almond!
ReplyDelete-Jessica Lopez
DeleteI watched the episode "Farm to Table Freshness". I really enjoyed the plethora of learning topics that was inputted into the video. It touched on eating the rainbow, how to properly wash your produce and the effects it has on the produce. My favorite part of the video was listening to the farmers at the farmers market. Their confidence they portrayed when answering the questions was really refreshing. Typically, when you ask vendors questions about their food products they either ignore you or are extremely hesitant in their answer. I am currently taking a class called "Exploring Sustainable Food Systems" and one of the topics that has stuck with me the most is nutrient losses. As mentioned in the video, as soon as the fruit or vegetable is cut from the vine before it's ripe and it begins to lose nutrients and die. This practice typically happens with the produce we find in grocery stores. They do this with the idea that, after the 4 or 5 days the produce is in shipment to the stores, it should ripened by the time it gets on the shelves for purchasing. After watching this video I will definitely be going to more farmer's markets and asking more questions about their food.
ReplyDeleteMartin Hamm
ReplyDeleteLibby’s Kitchen 09- Sweet Snacks
3-17-2020
This video about alternative sweet snacks to make was very informational and after viewing it I was curious and anxious to try one of the recipes. It was very interesting to learn about how even the treats can be made and produced in a nutritious manner. Making the popcorn reminded me about how my father used to prepare it on the stove, so I was already familiar with the process. So now all I have to do is substitute my non-nutritious ingredients such as butter from a cow for the likes of avocado oil or coconut oil. In general it is important to have a healthy balance between nutrient dense foods that we need and items that we enjoy that may not have any beneficial value. It is rewarding to learn that there are alternative ways in which to splurge on something that might not be the healthiest of choices. The organic popcorn with the cacao blend with the nuts was an interesting choice to movie theatre popcorn that is made in the microwave. I plan to use some of the items introduced by Dr. Gustin to transform the ways in which I make my sweet treats. Healthy alternatives are always beneficial knowing that the usual processed food that I indulge in can be made with a healthier twist. The peanut butter cookies with homemade peanut butter will be attempted as well. The freezing before baking is something that caught my attention. I am glad that I have learned alternate ways to create snacks that I can eat without feeling guilty afterwards.
Thank you for such a wonder response.
DeleteYou had me popcorn and cacao! I will be visiting this video.
- Julie Espinoza
HM 376 Sec 01
Hi Libby, This is Mikayla Garcia here and I just watched the episode “Grains & Beans” and found it highly interesting and informative. I have been vegan for around three years now and rely heavily on beans and grains to complete my meals, happily I’d like to add! As of now I had been buying my beans canned and my rice in boxes if not frozen and ready to be microwaved. Intuitively that didn’t feel right. For one, the environmental impact of continuously buying beans and rice out of containers stacks up. It is literally visible in my trash can. While canned beans and boxed grains are convenient, bin beans and grains are less expensive. As Sebastion said you are buying quality and quantity. If you eat as many beans and grains as me that is important. In my class at Cal State University Long Beach, Exploring Sustainable Food Systems we discussed how most children today would not be able to tell you where food comes from beyond the grocery store nor are children able to name certain food varieties. I thought about that a lot and found myself being stumped on where beans come from (just to put that into perspective I am 21 and almost graduating college??????). Working at Organic Harvest in North Long beach, an urban garden that provides local food to restaurants, I finally discovered where beans come from. It is a tree, if you didn’t know like myself. I figure the less my food is touched by companies and the less steps taken before I purchase them the more nutritional they will be. I’ve been dying to get my hands on some loose grains and beans but have been struggling with what to do next. This video couldn’t have come at a better time! I’ll be sure to check the food safety of the location in which I am purchasing my beans and follow the proper steps to soak and boil them to strip them of the natural protection of the seed. I might even try fermenting because my friend just started working at a fermentation store. Can’t wait!
ReplyDeleteEating all of the colors of the rainbow seems like the easiest way to "trick" your brain into being healthy. I consistently think about this when determining what to eat, as it's a simple way to ensure you are getting all of the right nutrients. For instance, when you eat fast food, typically the color palette there is quite bland. To me, this immediately becomes unappetizing. However, like you discussed in your video "The Rainbow Game" something as easy as a yogurt parfait with nuts and strawberries is much more nutrient dense (and fun to look at). Hopefully more people adopt this strategy after watching your video!
ReplyDelete- Gabrielle Nelson
Eating the rainbow has always seemed like a sure fire way to make sure you are eating a variety of foods and providing your body with all the nutrients it needs to function. Most people get very stuck in their routine and end up eating the same things day in and day out, like growing up I used to eat broccoli and carrots every day, while clearly that’s not horrible for me I was missing out on all the important available nutrients in red or purple foods. I found it very interesting that Dr. Gustin started talking about the over importance of eating green a ton because of the availability type of its vitamins and nutrients being water soluble vs. fat soluble. Which that basically means that the nutrients in fat soluble foods like red or orange items will be stored in your fat tissues and stay in your system a lot longer versus green foods that have water soluble vitamins that are more easily flushed through our system with water.
ReplyDeleteJulie Espinoza Blog Response to Episode: Soup and Crackers
ReplyDeleteYou will want to watch this episode not once, but twice! Like me. I recalled watching this episode a month ago, and it inspired me to make homemade hummus. Now, recently browsing Libby Sustainable Kitchen video titles, I came back to this title. What drew my eye was the word “Soup”. In todays, recent Co-Vid19 Pandemic, soup sounds plentiful. I thought this was a new episode! But it was the same one. Trust me, you get more info out of repeating and viewing episodes again.
This time, it was refreshing my mind, and my agenda watching this episode it became quite clear. Not only is sustainability good for the environment, but its good on the wallet. Repurposing food, and left-over especially during a Pandemic crisis is crucial! I’ll say it again, is crucial! To all of the above, and our food supply.
It will become evident to you to when you learn you can take your beans, blend them into a soup, or a nice dip, (which makes beans very versatile).
You’ll realize more you can do with plain ol’ rice. Like taking left over rice from the other night and making a pie crust.
Folks, this is the band wagon we all need to be on. Recipes and Ingredients to re purpose. And going about on this wagon with fresh sustainable produce and products will promote so much for your body, mind, spirit, community, and planet!
I watched episode 10: Meat and Seafood. When buying meat, it is important to find grass raised organic animals because you have to remember what they eat is what you eat in order to gain a full nutrient profile. There is no herbicides or pesticides Sustainably sourced seafood; marine or freshwater are species that have been harvested but it does not harm the future stock of species. They are good for us now and also good for us in the future. Since bison is leaner and produces less oil, I might go and look for that the next time I go to the store. The taste is very similar I’ve tried it before, but I don’t cook much at home so learning how to alter recipes and cook the freshest ingredients will be a little difficult.
ReplyDelete- Michael Iskander
I just watched "Re-purposing Leftovers" because I'm generally left with a lot of leftover foods like bell peppers, beans, and spinach. I loved the creativity in the video and it helped me think of ways that I can re-purpose certain foods to be like others, like the bean dip similar to hummus. I also really appreciated the segment at the beginning of the video about the urban farm. After volunteering at an urban farm a few times, I think it's important to inform the community on what it takes to grow produce and how accessible it really can be.
ReplyDelete-Taylor Eccles
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI watched episode 05: Herbs and Sauces. I always drink a lot of water and sometimes it can get a little bland for me. After seeing how you muddle the mint and then mix it with water, I am really going to give this a try along with other herbs and fruits such as oranges to mix into my water so that it can taste better. I use sauces a lot in my meals so that it can taste better and after watching this video, I want to prepare my own sauces from scratch instead of buying it from the supermarket. I now see that making your own sauces and dips from scratch using organic ingredients can be so beneficial instead of buying it from the market. I am a fan favorite of beef stroganoff and one of the ingredients is a cream of mushroom soup and I can not stop drooling over incorporating your recipe for cream of mushroom soup into beef stroganoff!
ReplyDeleteHi Libby!
ReplyDeleteI love that you are utilizing the whole chicken in episode seven by making a nutrient bone broth that you could also store in your freezer. I am the type of person who loves soup and always craves it, so having bone broth stocked in your freezer is such a resourceful idea! Not to mention, it also will save you a lot of time for the future. This is a great way to let your body digest all the collagen, glucosamine, and other beneficial supplements that your body needs for stability and a healthy glow. I didn’t know that soaking faro in vinegar is a solvent to remove phytic acid on seeds, I will definitely use this technique for the next time I prep faro in order to obtain all the proper minerals it offers, like iron and zinc. I also really love the tip you mentioned about storing your asparagus in a cup of water like a bouquet of flowers, by doing this the asparagus' freshness is prolonged! I’ve never even thought about making my own crackers from scratch and I am so excited to try this recipe. This episode is all about nutrients, flavor, and having a sustainable mind in the kitchen. I loved learning about all the nutritional information and great cooking tips! Thank you {:
-Chloe Goings
Just finished watching the “Meat and Seafood” episode, as someone who eats a lot of meat and seafood I found it very informative. I always leaned toward buying the freshly prepared meat and seafood as I figured they were better in quality; was glad to have my assumption confirmed. I did not know that the time table to freeze the food was a couple days. Have always just cooked all of the food then saved the leftovers for the next day so that’s something I will definitely use going forward. I’m always looking for new fresh dishes in additional to more ways to cook meat and seafood. So, seeing the shrimp being used in soup is something I only saw at restaurants, after seeing it firsthand I’m interested in how all those flavors and texture in the soup taste. Really enjoyed how all the ingredients are not only healthy and fresh but are also in the highest quality possible as I can really taste the difference on certain foods and meals
ReplyDeleteJuliet Mosby
ReplyDeleteI watched the Soups and Crackers video. I love making soups, anytime it gets slightly chilly my go to meal is a soup (or stew). Like it was said in the video you can get collagen, vitamin and minerals in broths and soups. Using fresh, organic produce will ensure you are getting nutrient dense meals. Crackers are one of those food items iv never made myself. One of the benefits of preparing your own food, is knowing exactly what it is you are eating. Versus purchasing process foods, they are filled with high levels of sodium and sugar as well as having many preservatives to extend their shelf life. Seeing how easy they (crackers) are to make it is something that I could bake at home.
I just got done with sweet snacks and I found it interesting because I always seem to be snacking when I shouldn't. The thing I noticed about snacks is that I tend to write them off of my daily total and can often eat too many of them without noticing. I think incorporating things like walnuts into solutions is a good idea because of their omega 3 content. It is a good way to bypass not eating enough fish, or is perfect for people who don't eat meat. I also like how you brought up the good fats in the avocado as well, as the fat content is the reason most people choose not to eat them (as well as walnuts). Overeating them could be a problem but that is true for just about anything, and the negatives of not having a good source of unsaturated fats in the diet outweigh the false negatives that they will cause you to become overweight.
ReplyDelete-Cody Jones
WOW, I am so glad I was given the chance to watch the Fresh Snacks video because it was so informative. To begin with, I learned that the snacks I am consuming regularly are likely made with oils that are not fresh and the salts used are not animal processed. A sustainable kitchen is one that practices safer and healthier ways of cooking that are good for the environment and our bodies. The way we prepare food in a sustainable kitchen and dispose of it, will be better for us and the environment as well. Instead of consuming many fattening snacks with so many additives, we can just look into our kitchen and find fresh ingredients to make dips for example. I found the walnut dip, a middle eastern dish, to be intriguing and easy to make because it only involves walnuts, a red pepper paste, lemon juice and olive oil. You have to be careful when chopping the nuts because you may be left with a paste similar to peanut butter. The walnut dip has a certain texture so you must be careful when mixing all the ingredients together slowly. This dish is high in omega 3 and includes healthy fats. Secondly, I also enjoyed learning how to make onion dip because I am more likely to find an onion in my kitchen than walnuts when I am craving a healthy snack. You begin by grating the onion to retain as much juice because it is essential for the flavor. Another key ingredient is the culture cream that contains a lot of probiotics, good bacteria for our bodies. Lastly, the avocado dip is one I will for sure make because I always have fresh avocados in my kitchen. I am Mexican, so guacamole is a big part in many of my dinners. The most nutrients in an avocado are on the sides by the skin so you must be careful when cutting them open. They have great fatty acids, have more potassium than a banana and will help with digestion. They also carry many antioxidants that are essential in our diets. Many of these dishes are extremely easy to make with ingredients that are more than likely already in your kitchen so you don't have to go out of your way to purchase them. They can be enjoyed with chips with fresh oil, himalayan salt and a sprouted grain tortilla. Baking the chips will be a healthier option than frying. There are many ways to enjoy these dips other than tortillas as well. You can enjoy them with celery, cabbage and any other fresh ingredient in your refrigerator. I thoroughly enjoyed this video because it teaches you simple dips that people consume daily but with a healthier twist. This has inspired me to think of my favorite snack next time I am hungry, and find a healthier alternative to make it. Using a more fresh and sustainable source will give us the maximum nutrients we need in our diets. Why not enjoy our favorite snacks while treating our body the best possible way it deserves. Having a sustainable foundation, ingredients, will not only protect our bodies, but the environment as well. This video teaches the importance of fresh diets.
ReplyDelete-Marcos Mena
Episode 1, Farm to Table Freshness
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! It seems as though variety and quality are key here. In my own personal experience, I typically end up purchasing similar ingredients because they are familiar, and I enjoy the flavor. But after watching this video I realized I might be missing out on nutrients that come from eating a variety of ingredients. In the near future I plan to source more ingredients from a local Farmer’s Market, that way I might get more variety in my diet. I also found the section regarding proper cleaning of produce to be quite informative. I never knew you could wash your produce in a light vinegar/water solution to preserve its freshness. This video made me think more about the criteria by which we select ingredients to purchase. Then I remembered an organization that we learned about in Chapter 1 regarding sustainability and food, the organization is called The Slow Food Movement; a worldwide organization dedicated to the preservation of local farmers and food producers. I think The Slow Food Movement defined it best, “Good: quality, flavorsome, and healthy; Clean: production that does not harm the environment; and Fair: accessible prices for consumers and fair conditions.”
-Jonathan Haikkala
There are farmers market almost everyday in Long Beach. Here is a link
Deletehttp://lbfresh.org/eaters/find-local-food/farmers-markets/
Episode 8: Fun Fresh Snacks
ReplyDeleteNot only was it informative but very entertaining. A point that stood out to me was the oil created to make our snacks. Majority of the time it’s not fresh for us to consume. On top of that they put ingredients that are processed. Like it was mentioned in the video the best way to fix this issue is to make it at home. We can have more control on what is going inside of our body, and how we control our waste. Making snacks at home can increase the diversity of nutrients that is needed for the body. Not only by just eating high protein food but irons such as Spinach. This will overall limit the waste we create because we can reuse food that we thought had limited purpose. Also, by not buying products that are premade which can expire quickly. Next time I'm thinking about snacking I will google an at home recipe for food diversity.
I chose this episode because I’m always craving something to munch on and I typically find my way to the pantry and grab something that’s processed and not healthy. I’ve always ate microwavable popcorn so I really found this recipe interesting. It’s one that I will for sure have to try myself. The one thing that I do love is the fact that its sweet and savory and that all the ingredients are healthy for you. I’ve always wanted to try and make popcorn from kernel so I’m honestly really excited for this one. I did not know that the corn from popcorn is not genetically modified so that’s awesome to know, but I think from now on I’m going to contribute in saving the environment by making it from scratch. Just curious though, when you first started to make popcorn, did you ever burn the sauce topping? I interned for half a year with Ground Education which is a non-profit that goes to local elementary schools in Long Beach who have gardens and they teach the kids about gardening, the process of farm to table, etc. and I learned that cacao is healthier than if you were eating milk chocolate. I sampled 3 types of chocolate covered strawberries and the 100% cacao flavor was my favorite. One thing that I like about your cooking videos is that you tend to stick with seasonal foods so that really helps with sustaining a healthy, nutritious diet and lifestyle.
ReplyDelete- Valeria De La Mora
The trick to not burning the sauce is use low heat and stir it. It melts pretty fast (3-5 minutes) and then you can turn off the heat until it cools to warm or room temperature. Also, when making popcorn from kernel, once it starts to pop, you need to keep shaking the pot so it does not burn. Here is a handy stainless steel popcorn pot. https://www.amazon.com/Cook-Home-02627-Stainless-Stovetop/dp/B07PPD975X/ref=psdc_1090764_t2_B01DOF8Y78
DeleteAwesome! Thanks for the advice. Hopefully I can try it out soon and if so, I'll make sure to send pictures so you can see how it turned out! :)
Delete-Valeria De La Mora
I enjoyed the "Meat and Seafood" episode so much! It was interesting to learn that even though you can buy grass fed meats that doesn't mean they aren't sprayed with pesticides. Also was glad to learn that I should only freeze fresh meats and seafood for up to 1-2 days. I am someone that does eat a quite a lot of animal protein and shocking to know that I've been doing it wrong all these years. Plus, on top of that, I got two free recipes that looked great. I might have to give them a try!
ReplyDelete-Juan Vallejo
Just to clarify, you should only freeze fresh meat after 1-2 days. As it gets older it is not fresh enough to freeze. You can keep it frozen for many months. However, home freezer will freeze meat to slow and it will impact the texture of meat. Commercial blast freezers will freeze meat in seconds preserving the quality and nutrients better than a home freezer.
DeleteAdam Bernacchi
ReplyDeleteFarm to Table Freshness
I really enjoyed the “Farm to Table Freshness” episode of Libby’s Sustainable Kitchen. Before this video, I had no idea that there was an awesome Farmer’s Markets right here in Long Beach. I think local systems for buying food is one of the most important steps to sustainability because people can actually talk to the producers and ask the important questions. If people were able to ask the same kinds of questions to major food producers (given they are honest and tell the truth) I do not think many people would still choose to consume their products. Farmers markets in my opinion really hold up the ideals of the triple bottom line finding that balance between the health of the people and the land as well as still making a profit. I also really loved how all the produce is picked vine ripe, because a lot of times producers will pick produce before it is ripe so that it does not go bad during transport. However, this means that the food did not get the full time it needed to develop its nutrients, and is not as healthy. As far as the cooking portion goes, I was happy to learn that drying produce keeps it fresh longer because that is something I have struggled with in the past. Using environmentally friendly cleaners is another thing that struck me because I have never thought about it in the past, but it makes so much sense. Cleaners that we use in our kitchen surround our food and can easily contaminate it. If I don’t want farmers to use harmful chemicals to produce my food why would I do it to myself?
Popcorn is one of my favorite and go-to snacks. I usually add butter and sprinkle some salt when I want a quick snack. To make it sweet and savory, I use butter, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and a little bit of salt. I did not know that popcorn is not genetically modified. In that case, I’ll keep on snacking!
ReplyDeleteLast night, I made a midwestern staple sweet “snack” called Scotcharoos and instantly regretted it once I started mixing in the… corn syrup! Although corn syrup is a product of corn, it is not made naturally. Now that I think of the consistency, texture, and flavor of it, I am getting a little queasy.
I have been looking for sweetener alternatives to try and I think sucanat on my popcorn will be my next experiment. When my cortisol levels increase, so do my cravings for sugar. Libby mentioned that these ingredients still contain sugar and that “it is important we consume it in moderation.” Due in part that these recipes are made with whole food ingredients, our bodies will be more satiated, therefore, we will feel full and our cravings will subside from the serving we treat ourselves to. As Americans, we are known as “overindulgers.” With that being said, we need to do the best we can to keep our hearts healthy, and taste buds satisfied.
The corn used to make corn syrup will be from GMO crops!
DeleteNavneel
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching the “sweet snacks” video! I love snacking throughout the day, however, I never realized that although I am putting food in my body, there is hardly any nutritional value in the processed snacks. Libby did a great job of explaining her recipes thoroughly as well as where she bought her products. This video was very informative on how we can make homemade products while getting so much more nutritional value and lead a sustainable life by not buying processed food that are harming not only us but the environment as well. Watching this I realized there are better and healthier options for snacks that I can enjoy. By applying these healthy habits such as making your own pop corn at home not only is a lot cheaper, it is better for the environment. By providing our body the proper nutrition it needs, we won’t have such craving for processed snacks which will lead to a more sustainable lifestyle.
I had to watch the video myself! Snacking is something we find comfort in, and I believe that is how it should be. However, we can become addicted to snacking and it can easily and dangerously be consumed with empty calories and become rewards to our bodies, without paying attention how nutritional it is to our bodies. I think we should all find ways to expand our palette to new food that is both sustainable and healthy.
DeleteI absolutely loved the episode on Rainbow Game. This might be a silly concept at first, however, like Libby said, it will help you learn how to integrate all colors in your diet without thinking about it the future. I enjoyed watching Libby make very simple recipes and be amazingly resourceful. I also appreciated how she acknowledged the fact that her ingredients were fresh with no added sugars, such as the yogurt. She encourages to sweeten the yogurt on your own with honey, agave, or maple syrup. This will reduce the amount of processed sugar we intake with added sugars and sweetened fruits. This episode ties in with with being sustainable in using all foods available and working with them to create dishes throughout the day without being wasteful of produce.
ReplyDeleteLizeth //Episode on Rainbow Game
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved the episode on Rainbow Game. This might be a silly concept at first, however, like Libby said, it will help you learn how to integrate all colors in your diet without thinking about it the future. I enjoyed watching Libby make very simple recipes and be amazingly resourceful. I also appreciated how she acknowledged the fact that her ingredients were fresh with no added sugars, such as the yogurt. She encourages to sweeten the yogurt on your own with honey, agave, or maple syrup. This will reduce the amount of processed sugar we intake with added sugars and sweetened fruits. This episode ties in with with being sustainable in using all foods available and working with them to create dishes throughout the day without being wasteful of produce.
I learned so much after watching Fun Fresh Snacks! From the start of the episode, I already was able to realize that the snacks I eat off the shelf from stores are probably not healthy for me because of the oils that are used. The oils used in packaged snacks absorb the good nutrients and prevent your body from taking in any other nutrients which I found fascinating. The recipes included in this episode were very informative and fun to watch. The facts about how the avocado is healthy for someone was a simple but great learning experience. The final product of all the snacks were so colorful and looked very delicious. It's also a huge bonus knowing the ingredients used were fresh and healthy to eat.
ReplyDelete-Julie Le
I think it is really amazing to learn how simple and quick snacks can be made without that much effort. On top of that, the snacks were all healthy and full of nutrients that help boost metabolism as well. It is important to know that all of our foods can be used to make other items so they do not go to waste. America is losing up to 40% of food produced. Produce is not aesthetically optimal, best-before date, unused edible food or leftovers discarded from households and eating establishments. While watching this video, it is nice to know that every little ingredient counts and can be put to good use so that it does not get wasted.
ReplyDeleteSara Villalobos –Food Sustainability
Bailey M.
ReplyDeleteRepurposing Leftovers
I am a huge fan of supporting local farms and farmers. It's nice to know my money is going to good food for my body as well as supporting local families and communities. I love all the repurposing food recipes. I myself am working on repurposing food. I buy a lot of produce so some can go bad faster than I can get to it. It's fun to see food that would go in the trash, to be made into a meal or snack that everyone can enjoy. I would love to visit farms more to get a refreshed memory on where and how my food grows. It's easy to forget when I am making a trip to the grocery store multiple times a week. This video is a great reminder that time and thought is important when in the kitchen. We can improve our health and environment so much as a community when we share and inspire one another with ideas.
I very much enjoyed episode 5 herbs and sauces! I love ranch, I literally eat ranch with almost everything! Super cool how you go over how to make it at home, and explaining the difference between a dip and a dressing was great! I also was intrigued by the other sauces, it seems like a great way to add some flavor and extra nutrients to any meal! The use of herbs was very insightful because I normally just use salt and pepper when I cook. The fact that you encourage your viewers to try new things and make mistakes because it’s apart of learning was also very nice, because cooking can be intimidating at times.
ReplyDelete- April Clavel
After watching episode 1, Farm to Table Freshness, I really enjoyed the whole concept of this video. From what I gathered was to truly show how much better fresher products are compared to that of products that are not. I also enjoyed the interviews with the people at the farmer’s market as they helped me understand the difference between fresh products versus products sold in supermarkets. Lastly, I really enjoyed watching the cooking portion of the video as I now know how to make a fresh and delicious-looking salad and salad dressing. - Josue Ortega
ReplyDeleteI watched the Grains and Beans video. It was very informative, and I liked how you chose to go to a store where they carried a wide variety of organic items that were available in different forms, such as: Packaged, in bins, and canned. Each having a different price point, some that already had ingredients that flavored the beans, and others that let you know exactly where they were from and their nutritional values. I think its important to have this information when trying to be sustainable and eat organically sourced foods. I also enjoyed where she prepared the foods, something that was new to me is that grains and beans have a protective layer that can keep us from absorbing its nutritional values such as magnesium and zinc. I will definitely be soaking my grains and beans from here on out. Another thing I learned was mixing grains and beans is a well rounded meal, and you wouldn't need meat. You could get all the nutritional value you needed from mixing those items together and adding a few vegetables to it as well.
ReplyDeleteMicky Hernandez
I love these videos! They are so informative and so fun! Sweet snacks can have nutrients in them! This is what I need. I don’t have a sweet tooth too often, but when I do, I REALLY have one. I love eating homemade popcorn starting with the kernels and cooking them in a pan. I grew up on popcorn like this and I remember how excited my brother and I would get when my dad made it. Even at a young, young age, my brother and I could taste the difference. I didn’t know that a fat that can’t stand high heat is helpful… like ghe. If I have a sweet tooth, I’ll make homemade organic, gluten-free, dairy-free blueberry, oat muffins. Making sweets out of healthy alternatives with only a few ingredients eases my mind in knowing exactly what I am eating. Thanks for these cool recipes and tips! I cannot wait to try.
ReplyDeleteI just watched the video on Beans and Grains and it was super informative. As someone who is not vegan, but trying to lessen my meat consumption, I truly enjoyed this post. I am aware that many vegans resort to beans and grains in their diet to get nutrients and now I am more educated on them. I also had no idea about the shelf life of beans and grains, nor how to cook beans yourself. I found it super interesting that you can put a little piece of seaweed in the pot while cooking beans to help the cooking process, I would have never guessed that. I typically eat rice for my grain, but am going to go buy different quinoa to test out as well. I will also be buying in bulk rather than packaging. Learning that beans and grains have a protective layer is also changing the way I prepare my food now.
ReplyDelete- Carly Sterbentz
I also found the beans and grains video very informative. Who knew that these foods have to be soaked and cooked a specific time and way to release their maximum nutrient potential. I found it pretty incredible that our ancestors knew how to cook them a certain way to achieve that, and it makes me wonder why not many people, including me, knew about this way of cooking them. This really makes me question our education about the food we prepare and consume.
DeleteI found meat and seafood to be a very enjoyable video! It was very informative, i know much more about the background of the meat between conventional, grass fed, and organic grass fed. Before watching I thought there was only such things as grass fed and that meant they did not use pesticides. Now I’m aware that there is a difference and that there is more than one type of grass fed beef or meat. Organic being the healthiest option. the type of nutrition/food our meat has consumed in the past is very important because that reflects the nutrition we receive in our body as well. If previous animals have consumed chemicals and toxins it is very likely that those will transfer into our body. I will only consume grass fed organic meat from now on, it is only a matter of finding a place that sells it, which shouldn’t be so hard to find. Thanks to this video I’m more inform on another food product I consume.
ReplyDeleteShawn Chait
ReplyDeleteResponding to the "Meat and Seafood" video entry.
I am personally a huge fan of meat, and I have paid little to no attention to where my meat comes from, nor what they eat. After watching this and other similar videos I am finding out a lot more about why those things actually matter to me and my health. One thing that I find surprising, is that I never made this connection myself. This is because I am a firm believer in the statement “you are what you eat”, but I never even took the time to think about that ringing true for my food sources as well. Now that I know that most of the meat I eat in my diet is essentially corn, it explains a lot about why my nutrition isn’t as good as it should be even when I feel I am “eating right”. I am absolutely going to make a change to eating animal sources that are fed a proper diet. Another thing I didn’t realize is that you have to eat meat within 2 days of purchase. Luckily based on other recent changes to my eating and shopping habits, this won’t be a problem for me in the future. I’m really enjoying the things I am learning by watching these videos and reading the blog entries here.
Episode 9: Sweet Snacks
ReplyDeleteWatching this episode made me see that indeed, it is important that we get nutrients from snacks. I am definitely a big snacker which is why I was very interested in seeing how I could stray away from the highly processed and high sugar snacks that I was consuming and move towards healthier alternatives. It was interesting to learn how white sugar is very processed and with no nutrients. I had never heard of Sucanat before, but after seeing this cooking episode I know I definitely have to try it. The popcorn with the sweet topping looks so delicious and is a great alternative. It was amazing to see that Libby makes her own peanut butter. Hearing the negatives of jarred store peanut butter such as added sugars, unknown fats, and the usage of the least fresh peanuts has made me want to make my own peanut butter. What is the recipe for the homemade peanut butter used in the peanut butter cookie recipe? It looks delicious as well as when paired with the cookies. All these recipes are incredible and make me want to spend more time in my own kitchen making them with my family.
-Veronica Perez
Replying to Episode 2: Grains and Beans
ReplyDeleteI love beans and grains in meals, however I have always been intimidated cooking them because they never seem to come out right when I make them myself. This episode was so informative, because not only did I learn about maximizing nutrients consumed when eating beans or grains, but I also learned how to properly cook them. I like the idea of buying in bulk because of less packaging, making it a more environmentally friendly choice, and also it’s more economical for my budget. I love how beans can be a substitute for a protein in a meal, if I want to eat a meatless meal.
I really like this episode because it provides a lot of information. Especially, an interesting online tour at Farmers Market at the Marina, Long Beach, California. After watching this video, I learned many great tips on how to properly wash, cut, and preserve vegetables. Interestingly, when mixed 1 part of vinegar and 3 parts of water to wash vegetables will remove the invisible bacteria and preserve the freshness of the vegetables. Also, inedible vegetable leftovers can be saved for composting. The seeds from the tomatoes and bell peppers are kept for planting in your yard. The use of spinner salads is useful because it dries out the vegetables more quickly than they dry naturally. It's interesting to know how cutting the carrot affects its taste and there's no need to peel off the skin once it's been rinsed with a vinegar and water solution.
ReplyDeleteBefore watching this video, I usually end up buying similar ingredients as they are familiar and I like the taste. But after watching this video, I realized that I might be missing out on the nutrients that come from eating a variety of ingredients.
This video made me think more about the criteria by which we choose materials to buy. Then, I remember an organization we already know in Chapter 1, which is about sustainability and food, called the Slow Food Movement - a worldwide organization dedicated to the conservation of local farmers and food producers.
-Ai Nhi M. Nguyen.
The Rainbow Game
ReplyDeleteI think that eating the different colors of food is something that most people do not pay attention to, and it is probably something that contributes to the obesity epidemic. We as a society are more focused on eating food that is quick and tastes good, as opposed to food that has the nutrients that are extremely important. The game that has been created seems to me to be a creative way for people, especially young children, to fall into a habit of eating the different colors of the rainbows and all of the essential nutrients. This video showed me a variety of different recipes and ways to incorporate the “rainbow” into my diet. It was also interesting and reiterated the idea that the differences in the kinds of food, cooked or uncooked and the different colors can give different nutrients when they are cooked or uncooked, fresh, or frozen. It was also interesting that there was a wide variety of things being made, not just salad and greens, there are a different ways to modify the recipes for things like pizza crust, and make them better, with added protein and nutrients
Video 1: Farm to Table Freshness
ReplyDeleteI enjoy this video about the food and products being sold at the farmer's market. It showed how the organically grown products were made and transferred to the market for consumers. Specifically, when Libby was interviewing one of the vegetable sellers, he explained that all his vegetables were grown without any chemicals and pesticides. The reason that he was able to keep all the pest and insects out of the products were simply using chilies, peppers, or vinegar to spray onto the vegetables. Afterward, all those sprayed products were washed – so that they won’t be sour or spicy – and ready to be sold in the farmer market. simple techniques like this can be implemented into larger-scale farming to avoid and reduce the amount of chemicals in our daily food diets. What is also great about this video are the cutting techniques on spices and ingredients that I might have already familiar with, but still useful for others to learn from such simple and short video.
Nicole Angel HM370- (Episode 6- Repurposing Leftovers)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed that the episode began with connecting the viewer to how growing produce begins, especially with how disconnecting we have become from our food system. My favorite activity is going to Underwood Family Farms, and pick my own produce. When I do that extra step of picking my own produce I use every part of my produce because I got to be connected with the effort that it takes to make the food I'm eating. Videos like these are really good to help people come up with ideas to repurpose their left overs. That's the hardest part of leftovers is just seeing the ingredients you have and coming up with an idea to make them into another meal. Luckily for myself I've always loved leftovers because they are so convenient. With just some practice I think anyone can get really good at repurposing leftovers in their own kitchen.
Nicole Angel HM370- (Episode 8- Fun Fresh Snacks)
ReplyDeleteBeing in university and having to deal with the chaos that is midterms, papers, labs, and so much more is overwhelming. Its very easy to become complacent with the food you put into your body. This video was a great way of exemplifying nutritious options that don't take very much time and are easily assessable to anyone. Nuts especially are a great source of protein and calories, for relatively cheap snack. I especially want to reiterate what Libby said that "not all fats are equal", not all fats are bad. In our society we go through different "diet phobias" , like in the 80's with sugar-free or the 90's with fat-free foods. This is a dangerous way of thinking because sugars and fats are necessary! Processed fats are bad, processed sugars are bad, but fats and sugars are not inherently bad for you. My favorite healthy snack is just tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The most important aspect to a diet is just eating a balanced diet or whole food. Libby perfectly points this out throughout this video.
Michele Uribe HM370 (meat and seafood)
ReplyDeleteI just watched “Meat and Seafood” and I thought the video was interesting. I learned a few new facts about meat and seafood. When it comes to being sustainable, I feel like meat and seafood can be a little more complicated than any other food that is grown. I enjoy eating meat and seafood, and I never pay attention on how that meat I bought was raised what diet it had. In the video the butcher went into detail on the difference between organic, grass feed, and conventional. I was surprised that even though the animal was raised “grass fed” it does not mean that the grass that the animal was eating still did not contain pesticides. The butcher in the video made the point that organic is the best quality meat you can get. I also learned that meat is supposed to be cooked no more than 48 hours after you buy it at a butcher shop. The meat that we get at the grocery store that is prepackaged and has a shelf life of almost 7 and is not the best meat to consume. Meat that is prepackaged tends to lose its nutrients and loses its true flavor during that time. I really enjoyed watching this video, and It made me open my eyes about the meat I buy and made me think twice on where I will buy my meat from.
Ngan Hong
ReplyDeleteEpisode 11: The Rainbow Game
I am very interested with the rainbow game in this video. I know that it is important to eat a variety of natural food per day with enough serving size. However, I do not know what the eating rainbows are and how much to consume them daily. Through the video, five colorful foods are divided such as green, red, purple, yellow, and white. The game is much more attractive to me with the three different meals made with color fruits and vegetables. I really enjoyed in learning the new recipes, so now I can try to make them. The recipes are easy, simple. and convenient when we are busy for working and studying but have calories and nutrients instead of eating processed foods. I always make home-made yogurt eating with flaxseed and strawberries or blueberries without considering the serving size. Replacing the flavored yogurt by plain yogurt added with honey, it is a great idea that we can know how much the sweetness we consume and eat fresh fruits and nuts. Many products contain high fructose corn syrup which affected to health such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so we would control eating too much sugar in human diet. Studying in Exploring Sustainable Food System class, I learnt some principles of healthy diet of Fallon Sally that diets need to have high levels of enzyme and beneficial bacteria in food such as yogurt or fermented vegetables. We also should eat soaked sprouted and fermented nuts, grains, seeds, and legumes. More than that, some salts were used in all diets as the video shown cooking the Ratatouille. This game is very helpful for educating children who did not eat fruits and vegetables. If not, how do parents trick kids into eating vegetables?
The Sweet Snacks video was something I really enjoyed watching! As someone with sweet tooth, so it was interesting to see ways I can make sweet snacks that are healthier, curve my cravings, and protect the environment. I’m excited to make some of the snacks and use the tips on other recipes. Since store bought snacks tend to have an excessive amount of sugar and a lot of preservatives, it’s great to see snacks that contain less sugar and are made without preservatives. I really appreciate how she knows where all her ingredients comes from and her insight of the ingredients and how certain ingredients had health benefits. I’m looking forward to finding other sweet snacks made with whole and sustainable ingredients.
ReplyDeleteLilian Wang
I watched Episode Eight where Libby made “Fun Fresh Snacks”. She showed us how to make various types of dips like onion, walnut, and guac dip. These quick snacks are good for when you’re on the go and are better for you than other store bought snacks. By making these snacks yourself you know exactly what ingredients you are putting into your body, mass food production produces unhealthy snacks on our shelves without researching everything, It's hard to know what you are eating, which is why making the snack yourself is a great option. All of these snacks are a great alternative opposed to buying your own in-store dip. The dips and the homemade patties was an easy quick snack to make, usually my greatest excuse for eating badly is because I need something quick because I’m always on the go. But in the video Libby talked about storing extra for later and now you have a solution for a time efficient snack. It was a very easy video to follow and the facts about how to pick an avocado and the vitamins you get from walnuts made a lot of sense. I own a lot of these ingredients in my own home so it wouldn't be hard to try these recipes for myself.
ReplyDeleteEpisode 7
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this episode, I have learned about soups and crackers. First of all, Dr. Libby introduced the bone broth. Bone broth is the broth made by bones and it contains many nutrients such as collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin. Also, chicken broth is more nutritious than other bones. To make a chicken soup, she used one pot and pour the broth into it. To make it healthier, adding more whole grain is more effective. In this case, she added Farro, the Italian ancient grain. So, the soup would be a little bit more chewy and hardly. Farro is soaked in vinegar for anti-nutrient subjects and adding more zinc. This making soup process takes about 40 min. After that, she added pieces of a chicken and waited for 5 - 10 min. Lastly, she added vegetables because cooking vegetables in long time would cause losing nutrients from them. From this recipe, I learned about bone broth is such a quick but important ingredient to use for soup since it contains multiple nutrients. Plus, you can add more such as whole grains and vegetables to compensate the insufficient nutrients. Therefore, this bone broth vegetable soup is a very intelligent way to do healthy diet.
Episode 1:
ReplyDeleteI love visiting the Farmer's Market because I can trust that my food has been taken care of by people who are equally passionate about the importance of sustainable farming. My recent encounter with farm to fresh produce was during my trip to Trader Joe's, I noticed the store uses bee's wax to protect their apples. They also sell chemical free produce rinse to help prolong your veggie's freshness in the fridge. I unfortunately do not have a space to grow my own food, but I can always rely on ethical farmers to do it for me! I learned from this episode that the nutrients in farm to fresh produce are much better than what you typically see in a commercial grocery store. It made me think about how this can affect my health in the future.
I just watched the Sweet Snacks video and I cant wait to make my own popcorn! I have such a sweet tooth but I'm trying to watch how much sugar I consume. I usually use agave as my sweetener, and have never heard of sucanat before so I'm excited to try it out. I also didn't know that most corn is genetically modified so I will be sure to check the labels before I buy some at the store. Like Terri mentioned, genetically modified food can be dangerous because most of us don't second guess our produce at the store however, it is known to be poor for our health. Im happy to know now that popcorn isn't genetically modified, I will be enjoying this guilty-free snack soon!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed episode 2 "Beans and Grains". It was so informative regarding the nutrient value depending on how you choose to purchase your beans and grains. I will typically buy canned for the convenience, but after watching Libby's video it seems worth the extra effort to purchase the dried beans and grains from the bins at Lazy Acres grocery store. She explained that it is important to store grains in a container that blocks light and oxygen, so vital nutrients are not lost. To attain the most nutrients from the grains or beans they must be soaked in water or broth. She shared a tip to use Kombu, a type of seaweed, to help tenderized the beans during the soaking process. They also pointed out that the grains labeled "organic" will be free of GMO's. I will definitely try the quinoa recipe she made on her video, it looked delicious! Purchasing these types of grains in organic form will also aid in avoiding grains treated with pesticides which may contain glyphosate and help to support sustainable farming.
ReplyDeleteThe snacks that Libby made in the "Sweet Snacks" episode looked delicious and were made with real ingredients with proper nutrients. I'd never heard of a couple of the ingredients like the Sucanat sugar used in the popcorn. I am pretty active so I also spend a lot of time eating and particularly snacking. This video showed me that there are better solutions for our snack cravings and to use alternative ingredients that will provide increased benefits for our body. The popcorn kernels she used were only $0.18 when a pack of 3 bags of popcorn at the store might cost around $5. I will try to implement better snacking into my life because in this case, it is better for my health and my wallet!
ReplyDeleteWow! What a fantastic video, it was very informative and entertaining. I was amazed but the simple and fabulous dips. They look delicious! Fun fresh snacks are definitely the way to go, often time we choose unhealthy alternatives because they are fast and easy. Just like Libby mentioned, making your own snacks allows to keep the nutrients and become aware of the ingredients that are in the snacks. Nonetheless, if we make and save the snacks, we can have them available with ease and can begin our journey to a healthier lifestyle. Making the dips actually seemed very fun and easy, I look forward to trying the Muhammara! I am blown away by the final product and presentation!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching the "Sweet Snacks" episode because it was very informative and there were some great recipes that I would try to make at home. Before watching this video, I had no idea there were ways to make a sweet snack with healthier ingredients. I was amazed to learn that there are such things as organic popcorn kernels, which are also super cheap and better for the environment as opposed to regular kernels. My favorite recipe was the avocado mousse because it looked appetizing and the consistency looked so creamy. I am going to share these recipes with my family so that we can all try them together.
ReplyDelete-Mia Pittsey
I watched the "Sweet Snacks" episode, and it was interesting. It's a great thing that makes original sweet snacks from sustainable ingredients. I didn't know that most commercial sweet snacks contain excessive sugar and there are fewer nutrients. I enjoyed watching this video because Dr. Libby is knowledgeable about each product's nutrients, ingredients and more about sustainable foods. As other comments said, I was also surprised that most corn in the marketplace is genetically modified. So I realized it is important to know well about foods that I want to use. After watching this video, I decided to check the item with my eyes next time when I want to get some "fresh" foods. Also, I want to try some recipes that were introduced in the video!
ReplyDeleteI just watched the "Meat & Seafood" episode, and it was informative about the grass-fed and organic grass-fed beef options. I think it's excellent that Lazy Acres is providing our communities with sustainably grown cows. It's crucial to note that although grass-fed beef is sprayed with fertilizer, it's so much more sustainable than factory-farmed cows. Not only are factory-farmed cows unsustainable and treated poorly, but their burps and farts also let out methane gas into the air. Also, conventionally raised cows are fed GMO corn and grains for feed which isn’t their natural diet. It’s creating extreme toxins into the soil and air. GMO cow poop is highly toxic and isn’t able to use for compost because it’s harmful GMO hormones and chemically altered fertilizers. Additionally, cow meat produces the most greenhouse gases out of all the meats. It also uses the most water. Factory farmed cows are so bad for the environment socially and physically. Happy cows are only happy when they’re grass-fed and even more so when they’re organically grown.
ReplyDeleteWatching episode 6, “Repurposing Leftovers,” video provided me with excellent tips on how to preserve our food and how composing our leftovers helps the environment in so many ways. I work in the kitchen, and every day we learned how to wash, cut properly, and use our food to create dishes our guests will love. However, when the night ends, the food we prep ends up going in the trash, and it is pretty devasting that we would rather dispose of the food instead of reusing it for other recipes or giving it away to someone who needs it. I know I tend to waste a lot of food at home because I forget about it, leave it sitting out, or expire, so this video is a great way to connect people who don’t know how to repurpose their food leftovers. I know it’s not easy to dedicate yourself to taking your leftovers and use them throughout the week. With videos like this one and knowledge you will gain about repurposing your food leftovers, it can improve our environment by making it much more sustainable.
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching Episode 1: Farm to Table Freshness, and I want to firstly comment on Libby’s enthusiasm for farmer’s markets and fresh produce. It is important that we all start taking steps to feed our bodies with fresher foods and include a variety of colors in our meals like Libby mentioned, in order to get a variety of nutrients. Libby’s suggestions for choosing the freshest produce at the farmer’s market, including asking supplemental questions like if a fruit or vegetable is “vine-ripened” or what the chickens eat before buying the eggs demonstrate the importance of truly choosing the freshest option when buying at these markets. It is also important to notate that purchasing foods that are in-season is considered a sustainable practice, however it might be hard at first to get into the swing of things, because I feel like I tend to buy and prepare the same types of meals using the same ingredients; I never paid attention to what is “in-season,” only seasonal if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who spent a lot of her time making dishes using spices to enhance the meal, I found this video very intriguing. As a cook, I like to look up recipes with different spices because I like to try different spices other than my usual seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. I add herbs and spices to my dishes, but I used them in my water as well. I love adding lemons with mint and cucumbers. I called this my detox water because I like how flavorful my water can get. Sometimes, I may add cayenne pepper that kicks it, but I prefer my lemon water just the way it is. Dr. Gustin's episode provided a lot of information to those looking to switch up their recipes by incorporating other spices that they don't use daily. Herbs and spices are good for you, so let's make use of them in every way we can.
ReplyDeleteEpisode #5 Herbs and Sauces
ReplyDeleteAs someone who spent a lot of her time making dishes using different spices and sauces to enhance the meal, I found this video very intriguing. As a cook, I like to look up recipes with different spices and sauces because I like to try different spices other than my usual seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. I created a lemon butter sauce for my salmon as a presentation for my chef using the ingredients from the kitchen. The chef liked it, and I was surprised because I never made sauces before until I started working in the kitchen. Although adding herbs and spices to dishes is excellent, let's not forget water. I love adding lemons with mint and cucumbers. I called this my detox water because I like how flavorful my water can get. Sometimes, I may add cayenne pepper that kicks it, but I prefer my lemon water just the way it is. Dr. Gustin's episode about the herbs and sauces provided a lot of information to those looking to switch up their recipes by incorporating other herbs they don't use daily. Herbs and spices are good for you, so let's make use of them in every way we can.
EPISODE 08: Fun Fresh Snacks
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching the “Fun Fresh Snacks” video, and it was filled with new recipes that I want to try. I learned how easy it is to make such healthy new snacks, while having it still be so tasty. Lots of people when they hear “healthy” snacks, they disregard the fact that it could still taste just as good as any other snacks they’ve had. It is assumed that it will taste bad and won't be enjoyable. In the video, Libby demonstrated and showed such easy and delicious recipes! They simply replace common snacks that I see my friends and I have regularly. I always have guacamole when it’s avocado season, and I just realized how good avocado is for the body. I hear pros/cons of eating avocados, but since I grow a tree myself, I always have some on hand when ready. I always incorporate it into my meals, and it is so good! Knowing how it can help my health and part of the “healthy fats” makes me feel even better. Also, I never knew I could make a pie crust with rice. I didn’t know how easy it was, and now I want to try myself. This video helped me realize how easy it is to enjoy fresh snacks. Plus, I love having a variety of colors in my meals, and knowing that these are healthy, fun, colorful, and easy makes me want to buy everything at my local farmers market. Helping the environment and being sustainable is one thing, but also knowing I’m eating healthy and helping myself in all sorts of ways is even better. Such a great video that makes me want to host a party and make all sorts of dishes when the pandemic is over!
Hello Libby! Thank you for the very informative way to use all the parts of a chicken. There is definitely a lot that goes into raising an animal; more than what most think about. It comes down to the feed, types of environment. The use of vehicles is not only for the transportation to deliver the product to local and distant grocery outlets, but the farming equipment that may be used while raising the livestock. It is even more crucial with larger animals, so it is great to teach every how to use every part! I was wondering, is there a reason that you didn't mention vinegar as a sustainable alternative as a disinfectant? Is there something I didn't think about in the production of vinegar that makes it not sustainable? I had two comments though about the chicken stock/broth (broth is bones and meat, stock is bones only) you made. The first is that you could use the giblets in the stock to add more flavor and organs contain a lot of nutrients. Next, from a culinary arts perspective, and is simply that you don't want to boil your stock/broth but simmer it gently. Last, you could blend the vegetables into a soup to use as a thickener if you were to be making a soup. Making a video is a great way to extend your reach and influence many more people, so thank you! Also, thank you to your co-host for asking all the questions! She did a great job!
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the farm to table freshness it made me realize that every time I shop from a farmers market it makes me happy because I know I’m supporting local vendors who take their time to grow high quality produce and vegetables. I don’t mean to sound dramatic but you can taste the freshness when you compare it to grocery store vegetables and produce. There is also a lot more that the vendors offer than you don’t get at other grocery stores. If you shop what is in season that means there are less resources being used but if you don’t and your shopping from a grocery store, that means that it had to transport from who knows where because that product was not grown locally. Composting is also great habit to get into while in the kitchen because you’ll start to notice how much you actually waste. If anyone knows of any local farmers market in OC with great selection, let me know! I'd appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteLizzete Huipe (370 Sec 02- Fall '21)
The "Fun Fresh Snacks" episode really stood out to me because I've recently tried changing my unhealthy snacking habits to something more nutritional! I always love having snacks throughout the day but never took into consideration any of the nutritional facts and realized how much of a negative impact It was having on my body. After watching the video, I now have all these new snacks to look forward to especially knowing they will benefit me. One thing I'm really excited for are the dips since I recently been buying a variety of healthy chips from Trader Joes. If only I would've seen this video before I bought them so I could try and make homemade chips instead and save some money. Something important I found in the video was that it highlights a sustainable kitchen. It covers the importance of sustainability which mostly means to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. I'm currently taking an exploring sustainable food course and this video related to topics I've learned such as food security. Within the pillars of food security, food utilization plays a huge role because it means to use proper foods appropriately based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care. Knowing the amount of nutritional value you are getting from the foods you eat is key in a healthy diet and prevents malnutrition. I will definitely be trying these fun fresh snacks and learn other ways I can eat healthy!
ReplyDelete-Saul Suarez HM 370
Episode 11 about the rainbow game is a game-changer. Whenever I think about healthy diets, it is always about keeping numbers. I am not a math person. The rainbow aspect of the nutritious game visualizes what I am eating. Thinking abstractly while running around during the week makes it extremely difficult to keep tabs on what I am putting into my body. It's too easy to go for something easy and filling if you don't see what you're missing in your diet. I always wonder why I feel so run down, but most of the time it's because I'm not watching my intake. The rainbow game is a great solution for this problem, especially over a week!
ReplyDeleteDillon Thomas HM 370-Fall 2021
ReplyDeleteI watched Episode 3 about Fats and Spices and I ha no idea how in-depth the choice of fats can be when purchasing them at the store was. I always thought they were all somewhat similar but know just how much better cold pressed oil is will make it my go to whenever I end up needing more in the kitchen. I also am going to try doing the ghee stuff at home as well, it seems interesting and really easy to do. I think this would be of great use to anyone who is missing or needing extra antioxidants and enzymes in their systems, its cheap and easy to do after all. What I really want to do though is see if I can incorporate what I learned in this episode not just into cooking, but baking as well. Making a healthy and nutritional piecrust, cake, or cookies would be much easier if I use the methods I discovered here.
Is low nutrition food really count as sustainable food? I enjoyed episode 11 “The Rainbow Game” it really simplifies the idea of eating fruits and veggies into colors. Thinking about the colors I have eaten in the day makes decision-making on snacks and meals a lot easier. It is easy to remember. The simplicity of colors when eating makes the color game easy to recall in the distant future. Our current food system is providing people with low nutritionally dense food. Currently, it's our lower-income families that pay the most for low-nutrition food. This game can help fight that. If people eat more nutritionally dense food. They are likely to eat less. Because they are receiving the nutrition their body needs. When people eat less, less food is bought. This means less food is likely to be wasted. Helping with food sustainability and utilization.
ReplyDeleteFor the choice of episodes I decided to watch Episode 10 called "Meats and Seafood" because I am a big meat and sea food lover. If there is one thing I eat everyday it is definitely meat and I was really intrigued to learn about where you can go to purchase organically grass fed meat. I never knew that many local farmers market stores sell seafood and meat that says how the animal was fed in order to determine if it was raised the right way. I loved watching Libby teach us how to cook some recipes of food you can make that shows it would have more nutrients. I think it was important that she pointed out the reasons as to why it was better to obtain the organic grass fed meat instead of the conventional farming meat. In my class we are learning about the benefits of buying food from your local farmers market and it makes me so happy knowing that buying meat from a store like that means you are choosing a healthier option. I enjoyed the overall learning experience that this episode taught me and I will make sure to continue purchasing future grocery items at my local farmers market.
ReplyDeleteI chose to watch episode 6 “Repurposing leftovers” because I always have leftovers, and I sometimes throw them away. After watching it, I realized we need to appreciate the food we have. Growing the vegetables approximately takes three months to harvest. We can consume healthy products because of organic farmers. Growing the vegetable requires sun, farmers' time, water, and living soil by not using pesticides or using natural pesticides when conventional farmers use the pesticide. I was surprised that about half of all food waste comes from homes. This is not only about wasting food but also the efforts the farmers put. Therefore, it is important to think about what we can do with leftovers before they go bad, and that leads to a sustainable kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI decided to watch Episode 2 "Grains and Beans" because my mom used to buy beans to make different kinds of soymilk which contains a lot of vitamins and other nutrients. And it's a good thing to know which farmers' markets have the most fresh food and knowlegeable, well-labeled sustainable items. I would say this episode is amazing because it was quite educational about the nutritious worth of beans and grains depending on how they were purchased. Buying organic alternatives of these grains can help me to avoid grains treated with pesticides that may contain glyphosate, and most important thing is to promote sustainable farming.
ReplyDeleteHi Libby, I really enjoyed your episode six "Repurposing leftovers." I am so glad you included the clip of you at the farm and providing us details on how organic foods are grown. I did not know that the vegetables from most grocery stores contain GMO. Now I understand why organic farmer's produce are more expensive. However, I felt that it Is worth for the price knowing that it is better for our body and the environment. With the knowledge from this video, I will start using my leftover produce to put back nutrients to the soil for the next plant. I also enjoyed how you came up with the dishes to repurpose your leftovers. It was so creative and all the dishes did not even look like leftovers! You mentioned that food loses its nutrients everyday, so does frozen have any nutrients left?
ReplyDeleteI decided to watch episode 1 “Farm to Table Freshness” because I wanted to educate myself a bit more on what makes produce fresh and sustainable for our health and the environment. I think what I took from this episode is knowing where to get farm to table produce and the questions that I should ask when purchasing them. Making sure there are no pesticides used and what type of feeds farmers use for their animals are important in deciding whether or not something is fresh and sustainable versus processed and having GMOs.I thought the energy that Libby has in truly wanting to make sure that everything she purchased at the farmers market was sustainable and organic was influential. I definitely want to check out more farmers markets when meal prepping during the week if I have the time. I also thought that adding varieties of colors in the meals you make is key because of the nutrient density it offers you unlike some of the produce you may get in stores. I thought the techniques used in the kitchen to prepare, store, and sustain some of her produce was impressive and something that I can take away and try on my own some time. Thank you for this insight into how to identity these farm-to-table products and how to best prepare them in order to provide a better diet and sustainable environment for the future.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great playlist of informative videos! As a person who loves cooking, I would prefer to cook with quality ingredients. So knowing the difference between grass-fed, organic, and conventional meats is major for me! Especially after reading in Libby’s blog post about “pesticides or bone broth”, how pesticides used on animal feed ends up within the meat we eat. As a person who cooks for their boyfriend who doesn’t have the greatest gut health, I want to change that and ensure he's getting the proper nutrients he needs in order to live a happier, healthier life. So, moving forward, I want to buy meat and seafood from the source or from a local butcher. I’ve always been the type of person who doesn’t like to waste any food, so instead of bulk buying meat and seafood, I like to buy them the day of. So seeing how meat and seafood have a shelf life within the fridge is reassuring that I am doing the right thing.
ReplyDelete-Jade Lagade
Episode 11, "The Rainbow Game" covers points that are extremely important when discussing diet. The episode resonates with me because at home I eat vegetarian. I live with vegetarians and made the sacrifice to eat vegetarian at home to eliminate the chance cross contamination. When consuming food we try to incorporate both raw and cooked food. A key point in the post was the discussion of variety. Vegetables get the most colors on a plate. I was told by a vegan once that the more colors on a plate, the healthier the dish. I do think that it is important to remember to get things like iron and proteins when having a "colorful" diet as common veggies can lack these things. A variety in a diet can also aid in making sure we don't get tired of our meals and deters us from eating foods that is bad for help.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching episode sweet snacks. There is ways to set up your own sustainable kitchen to have sweet snacks.What is used to make these sweet snacks is going to be good for our health and even the enviornment.These sweet snacks will also give us nutrients.Instead of using white sugar we can use sucanat ,its dehydrated cane juice which has potassium ,which makes it better for our health .You can make organic popcorn with organic kernels with either avocado or coconut oil.For the topping you can cooked sucannat,cinnamon with melted ghee then you add it to the popcorn and shake it.You can add nuts for protein at the end when the popcorn is finished.There are sweet easy organic snacks that you can prepare at home.Now im trying to watch how much sugar I consume.This snack is being made with real ingredients
ReplyDeleteJust finished the Sweet Snacks video and I loved how I can still eat "snacks" but at the same time still be healthy. It has been a challenge to find a healthy snack that I can truly enjoy since I have a massive sweet tooth . Berries and nuts can satisfy one's cravings instead of junk food, also avocados can be very satisfying and healthy. Watching her make the peanut butter was cool because of the ingredients that were used. Before watching this, I didn't know it was possible to have healthy versions of your favorite snacks. I want to make a better effort to use some sustainable ingredients to make healthier snack options that I can enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThe working With Poultry video was very informative. I did not know that brining would make a chicken juicy I just thought it would add extra flavor like a marinade, so that was nice to learn. Also, using the meat pounder! I always have unevenly cooked chicken such an easy solution I now realize. Handling chicken is such an easy way to cross contaminate all of your surfaces and a festering ground for E Coli and salmonella which can literally kill you. It is so important to wash your hands and surfaces with disinfecting soap and hot water. I often hear a controversy between people arguing one must "wash their chicken", I'll see them soaking it in a vinegar solution. I guess that's fine as long as the handling of after care is just as focused on killing bacteria. Externally is just as important as internally. A nutrient naturally fed chicken with contain the most nutrients and flavor.
ReplyDeleteAshley Wilmoth
I watched the episode 3, "Fats & Spices", because it's something that I use everyday and wanted to understand more about. I was extremely interested in the explanation of oils. I wasn't aware that cold-pressed oils should not be heated up, in which the antioxidants and enzymes that are great for the body are now destroyed. I was just under the impression that olive oil is better than vegetable oil and I could use it however I want. I need to use high smoke-point oils to fry things, as other oils may have their enzymes or antioxidants burned, which can be carcinogenic to eat or breathe. I was completely unaware that my use of oil was severely lacking understanding for more nutrients. Next time, I will respect the use of cold pressed oils and use those naturally like in dips or salads. I will try to look for minimally refined or processed oils to use to fry. Also, I am extremely pleased by the presentation of spices, which add amazing flavors to food without adding any calories or fat. The video portrayed it as mixing and using a variety of spices to make an amazing flavor for an otherwise bland food like cauliflower. The use of my spices is basically limited to chili flakes. I am eager to build up my spice rack and use it to create flavors that are extremely tasty. These are things that I can put into practice as soon as I start making my next meal, so I'm looking forward to cooking.
ReplyDeleteThis video was helpful as a guide to healthier eating. I became vegan and quickly became interested in having a rainbow plate for each meal. I will admit to not doing this every meal, but when I do the colors making the presentation nicer. I find this method is an easy way to make sure I am eating fruits and vegetables. I will make a note of these specific recipes and use the video. I enjoy the easy recipes, since they are so quick to create. I do enjoy my vegetables more when they seasoned as well. I also looked at the attached color plate document which is also a helpful resource.
ReplyDeleteHM370 - Alma Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteI watched episode 2: “grains and beans”, i really liked the fact that she was physically in the store and showed us how she buys her items. I thought it was interesting how she let us know about the cleanliness and safety of everything in the bins. I also thought that by her inserting the knowledgeable employee really adds to how you can use resources already available to you. I also don’t know what I expected out of watching this video but I am glad I chose this one, I think grains and beans are a big staple to a plant based diet, so this was really helpful. The most interesting thing that stood out to me was the way of storing grains and beans, I did not know light could affect them. I also thought about how in my household beans and grains are a staple in our meals so now I can let my mom know how to properly store them as she only uses clear and glass containers. Very interesting and informational can’t wait to watch the rest of them.
Meat and seafood episode
ReplyDeleteI watched episode 10. I had always been told that all red meats were not healthy for you. After watching this it makes me feel a little less guilty eating red meat, although I still feel I should avoid it if I can. I did not realize the difference between grass fed and organic grass-fed meats. I knew very little about buying seafood from stores and this episode taught me so much. Things like sustainably sourced seafood were never in my vocabulary before this video. I will look for these at the store as I am normally a little scared buying seafood from the store. This episode also gave me some good ideas for a quick and easy recipe for a good, tasty meal. Not only did it provide me with a recipe but also some good cooking tips to apply to other dishes in the future. One question I had was if these ingredients could be found at a local grocery store and not necessarily a whole food or a sprouts for those who live in a more remote setting. If not, then what are some tips for people in those areas to eat a bit healthier and avoid all these GMOs and pesticides.
Will Grote HM370
Excellent! I enjoyed watching the bit about a sustainable kitchen. I love culinary arts and the science behind the arts. It is amazing to see a different perspective than the typical Gordan Rasmey genre of cooking shows. I find that Libby encompases entertainment, substance, and sass through her explanation of fats and spices. The core fundamentals of culinary arts is the understanding of fats, acids, salts, and spices. I am glad to see Libby tackle an important topic. I enjoyed the culinary techniques- sautéing. The technique of high heat and low fat, sauteing, is an amazing method to prepare foods. Love the knowledge and usage of umami, which is to fuse the flavors together through natural methods. Umami is the natural enhancement of flavor. We all know the unnatural ways to enhance the flavor of MSG. Anyways, I love the videos. Please keep up the amazing.
ReplyDeleteTony Cheng
Farm to the Table Freshness
ReplyDeleteOne thing that caught my attention was that some chickens from the farmers market are fed crickets and insect meat. Not only are these chickens eating organic, but they are also getting their protein. And to me that is great. Also, I never knew that adding apple cider vinegar was great for produce washing solution. I always wash my produce with water, but this tip is better, and I will use next time. Overall, all the information provided was really helpful.
Maria Quintana (HM370)
Farm to the Table Freshness (HM 370)
ReplyDeleteI was very intrigued by the fact there is some ways to tell if a item is freshly picked out such as seeing the vine still being attached to the produce. This episode is very informal as Libby shows me how I can reproduce a produce by withdrawing the seeds and placing them in a glass jar with water. There is also an extraction of compost of the produce which will be use as feed to the soil to ensure nutrients being developed while the produce is being grown. This one of many ways to be sustainable in agriculture and to environment as the seeds and composting are not going to waste, instead are being used to grow more crops. The most informal and interesting part of the episode I really enjoyed was when farmer Alex Munoz explained how to determine if an egg is pastured. A Sundown yellow yolk shows that the chickens are bug and compost fed while grain fed shows a bright yellow yolk, which affects the digestive tract of the chicken. This video is pact with valuable information with methods of sustainability and ways to see if the produce is fresh and non-GMO raised.
Question
The question I do have is do farmer markets have affordable prices for low-income communities how would like to make a change in their diets ? And how long do you keep the seed and compost in the jar before placing them in the soil to grow more produce ?
- Gabino Leon
Episode 8: Fun Fresh Snacks
ReplyDeleteFirst off at the start of the video I love Libby's tone of voice and how she is bringing positive energy to attract her viewers. I am always for the environment so learning about how we can create healthy fun snacks by using whole, less-processed ingredients was a great addition to my knowledge. I like how easily I can use the steps in the video to create my own healthy snacks, instructions were very clear. I've always known that homemade foods are healthier than store bought foods because homemade foods if you make it with the right ingredients have higher nutrients. Store bought snacks usually are processed and not very good in nutrients. I've learned soo much from the video from avocados having more potassium than bananas and new recipes that I will try at home. Really great information and really good video in general. I hope to see more of these in the future.
Andreya Garcia
ReplyDeleteI am glad to know that sweet snacks can also be more sustainable and nutritious as well. It is interesting that popcorn is not genetically modified at all, it makes me want to eat popcorn more often. What if I like a more cheesy popcorn? What is a better and nutritious alternative to making a cheesy popcorn? I really want to experiment making my own peanut butter cookies now. I want to try making them and dipping them in melted chocolate. Mousse is not my favorite kind of dessert, but I feel like a lot of people do not think of using avocado in a sweet manor so adding this recipe in the video is a great aspect.
Quinn Kozuschek HM 370:
ReplyDeleteI watched the Farm to the Table Freshness that have tips on what to look for when visiting a farmers market and setting up a sustainable kitchen. One of the big concepts that I learned from this episode is the amount food scraps that I waste. In the video nothing was wasted. The seeds were harvested for future gardening and the tomato stem was put aside for later composting. Composting can give life back to the soil by returning some of those nutrients that have been lost. Produce that grows in rich soil will have a higher quality of nutrition and will be heathier. I also learned from the video that varieties of color in food is very important. It does not only offer a larger range of vitamins and nutrients, but is also more appealing and enticing to look at. The video also gave me the idea that I can start feeding some of my kitchen scraps to my chickens at home. That way I will end up with heathier chickens and eggs, while limiting some of my food waste. This video also gave me a craving for salad.
Meat and Seafood Episode: It is really important to put healthy meat and seafood in our body. It is totally worth it to do the extra research to find out where our food is coming from. This video really taught me what to look for in the grocery store to find the best meat. I had never heard of being able to eat Bison. The recipes look delicious, healthy and easy to make.
ReplyDeleteMealad Saadeh: While watching Libby’s kitchen-“Farm to table freshness”, I learned a lot. Firstly, and most importantly is the sanitation in the kitchen. I have been in the culinary world since a very young age. So seeing people giving importance to sanitation means alot to me. By watching this, I learned how to recognize my produce more. Now, I can be more successful at finding the produce I need. Now I can know what’s fresh and what’s not. I am now able to find produce that is grown sustainably. This can be done by checking if the leafs are green and feel fresh. A good example is beats or radishes. I also got an important tip “Go to the farmers markets and ask questions”. I also learned that farmer market products might actually be only a day or two old, which is very great! I also learned about vinegar and natural grape juice that can give it sweetness. I also learned that many farmers markers have chickens that eat healthy (bugs) which gives the chicken great nutrients to grow healthy and also grow healthy eggs. I also learned that there could be organic pesticides. I have never thought of that before. Isn’t it amazing that chili plants could be used to keep bugs and insects away! I really like that idea. I think that this is something that farms should definitely start using!
ReplyDeleteMatt Ortiz (HM 370) 2) Farm to table Freshness. Organic foods are not genetically modified at all meaning that they have no chemicals in them; they are only made up of themselves. Added chemicals in food have been studied and been shown to be unhealthy and could lead to an array of diseases. Going to a farmer’s market allows you to directly ask the vendors all information regarding the food that you’ll purchase. I would think that fresh food has become increasingly popular in recent years as people are much more concerned with their health, especially in California. It doesn’t take much more effort in order to improve the health of yourself or your families while also supporting pasture raised organic fed animals who live better lives than conventional livestock.
ReplyDeleteI loved the meat and seafood video. Of course, we have heard many times, or even read at our grocery stores about conventional, organic, or grass-fed meats. This video made it easier to make our choices for our own health and flavor desires. Meat can certainly be deceiving when we aren’t aware of how it is raised. Sustainable meats are much more accessible and affordable than they have been in the past, they also go a lot further than the industrial livestock farms and are remarkably healthier. It is important to know what we are putting in our bodies, especially when it comes to meats and seafood, as these living organisms feed off the earth in some capacity and that goes into the meat that we end up eating. We wouldn’t want to eat fish filled with mercury, just like we wouldn’t want to eat chickens that are pumped full of steroids just to have larger portions. When we take time to learn where our meats and seafood comes from, we can make healthier choices for our own consumption. These were great recipes, and I can’t wait to try them out at home. I am also a huge fan of bison for the very same reasons, it is more sustainable, and it has far less fat to drain.
ReplyDeleteThe Meat and Seafood episode was the one that drew my attention because I believe these two products to be the most mismanaged products in the American market. The meat industry has been known to misuse antibiotics, have poor living conditions for their animals, and negatively impact the environment. And on the side of the seafood industry, it is known to be highly unsustainable and produce contaminated products. Both those problems show that information on how the food was raised can help consumers pick healthier options.
ReplyDeleteThe episode takes the viewer to a local market in Long Beach called Lazy Acres. The market has a wider selection of organic, grass-fed, and conventional beef. The protein specialist did a good job explaining the difference between how and where these products were raised and concluded that the best option was organic grass-fed beef. His reasoning was that simply grass-fed did not ensure that no antibiotics or pesticides were used, and that organic meant the animal would be eating pesticide-free corn. So, organic grass-fed ensures that the animals had room to forage naturally and live pesticide-free. The Seafood portion shows the importance of ethically harvesting fish fresh and in season. Eating frozen fish that’s not fresh results in a less nutritious end product.
The meals made here were organic grass-fed ground bison beef taco bowls and white shrimp coconut curry. These meals used ethically sourced proteins and vegetables, so the meals are both more nutritious and sustainable. The cooking session showed the importance of having color, herbs, sear, and different flavor components. Another important thing is that these meals are easy and realistic to make and that the ingredients could be played aground with to create a larger variety. Healthy eating is known to be important but is the importance and knowledge of cooking present to allow healthier habits to even exist.
-Haiky HM370
What a great playlist of informative videos! As a person who loves cooking, I would prefer to cook with quality ingredients. So knowing the difference between grass-fed, organic, and conventional meats is major for me! Especially after reading in Libby’s blog post about “pesticides or bone broth”, how pesticides used on animal feed ends up within the meat we eat. As a person who cooks for their boyfriend who doesn’t have the greatest gut health, I want to change that and ensure he's getting the proper nutrients he needs in order to live a happier, healthier life. So, moving forward, I want to buy meat and seafood from the source or from a local butcher. I’ve always been the type of person who doesn’t like to waste any food, so instead of bulk buying meat and seafood, I like to buy them the day of. So seeing how meat and seafood have a shelf life within the fridge is reassuring that I am doing the right thing.
ReplyDelete-Jade Lagade
I really enjoyed watching these cooking episodes, but the Fun Fresh Snack episode got my attention. I like dipping my tortilla chip in some savory and creamy dip that I have always bought from grocery store. This video showed me the simplest way to make fresh tortilla chips and healthy dipping that I can do at home . By making these snacks, I will be able to consume veggies. I also enjoyed Sweet Snack video and how she makes popcorn so easy. After watching that episode, I’m really glad that popcorn is non GMO and sucanat sugar provide antioxygen than table sugar or other sweeteners.
ReplyDeleteThe meat and seafood episode really resounded with me. Meat and seafood are staple products in my cultural background, so making adjustments to my purchase and selection habits according to this video was an idea that interested me. When I cook food from my culture, I will now make it a point to prioritize grass-fed organic animals, especially beef, since there is less of a risk of there being pesticides being present in what the animals ate. Sustainable seafood from farms is a fine alternative, as overfishing and the overall cost of the supply chain that the increased demand for seafood over time has created, such as the costs of transportation and the effects that it has on the greater ecosystem, is a problem. I enjoyed the video, and it ultimately opened my eyes with regards to my meat purchasing habits; where I buy it from, and how the meat is processed (whether it’s grass-fed, farmed, or not.)
ReplyDeleteI choose to watch episode four: working with poultry because I consume a large amount of poultry in my diet. I loved that Libby was able to expand our knowledge on the difference between air and water chilled chickens. I definitely will be buying air chilling chicken to ensure the most flavor. I often make a mess when I cool so it was a good tip to open the chicken in the sink to avoid cross-contamination. I have never brined anything before and I definitely needed to know that you wash off the brine before you cook it. I also did not think to dry off the bird to ensure the skin is crispy to your liking. This video was incredibly helpful and I will be using all of these tips in my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteChi Nguyen (HM370)
ReplyDeleteEpisode: The Rainbow Game
I enjoyed the video about the rainbow game. Before that, I always thought that eating all colors of vegetables in meals was difficult to do. Moreover, few people pay attention to the color and the number of vegetables as well as fruits in their meals. Personally, I don’t like to eat vegetables so it is extremely difficult to eat according to the recipe of the rainbow. In addition, 5 cups total for vegetables and fruits a day are too much. Although I got some knowledge from my class about food utilization, I had not changed my diet yet. However, after watching this video, I have changed my view of vegetables in my daily meal. I have a better understanding of how to "eat a rainbow." How to prepare a meal with a variety of vegetables and fruits with rainbow colors? "Eat a rainbow" is not used for a meal or a day; it is applied for the whole week, so everything becomes easier. The video showed that a colorful lunch was made with a simple recipe that included zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. Therefore, we can easily achieve rainbow meals in a week or even in a day. The combination of vegetables and/ or fruits together helps to provide adequate nutrients for the human body without having to eat too much. The rainbow game is very useful for everyone; it helps people to manage and easily distribute vegetables' color within a week.
I watched episode 11 on incorporating the “colors of the rainbow” into your diet. For starters, I thought it was interesting when you mentioned that it’s more important to make sure you are getting fruits and vegetables of all colors as opposed to consuming a certain amount of calories. I struggle with keeping track of the total calories that I consume, but I can definitely improve my health and overall nutrition by filling out a rainbow chart. My class I’m taking right now has led me to do more research on my diet and nutrition, and one thing I learned is that balance is key to a healthy and sustainable diet. Not one color of the food rainbow is more important than the other, so it’s important that you balance them since each color has different nutrients. Although I eat a lot of vegetables, this video has pointed out to me that I should eat more than just green vegetables. I definitely will try out the purple potato pizza, I don’t think I get any purple in my diet!
ReplyDeleteThe “Farm to the Table Freshness” episode on the Cooking Show gives the audience a profound picture of the abundance which characterizes the New York’s Capital area. The episode brings into perspective the nutritional value of the local production in this region, and offers some invaluable tips on how to cook creatively. The episode, furthermore brings on board some experts who convey crucial messages regarding the dimensional aspects of cooking, and the nutritional components of the fresh produce obtained from the New York area. The show is profoundly instrumental, since the host prepares the viewers for an adventurous approach to the produce obtained from New York, and provides creative tips on how to cook.
ReplyDeleteI chose to watch the episode about working with poultry. I often get a lot of conflicting advice about how to handle chicken meat. This episode was so informative and taught me more kitchen safety. I am a bit of a germaphobe, so I really enjoyed the cross-contamination advice and recommendation to wear gloves. I also did not know the difference between air-chilled and water-chilled chicken. I always bought air-chilled organic chicken without knowing what it meant. Now I know that I was making a good choice. My favorite part was the beginning about emphasizing how precious chicken meat is considering the amount of resources it takes to produce it.
ReplyDeleteEpisode 1 started out being very informative for me; I did not consider exactly how fresh my produce is when I buy it at the store. Watching the interviews with various vendors definitely makes me want to invest more time and effort shopping with local vendors at farmers markets when possible. Libby's food preparation process seems very simple and sustainable.
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching the episode on "sweet treats"! It's how many things come from processed foods, and how we really don't know the exact ingredients used. I really appreciate how Libby is using ingredients from local farms and stores, It was really interesting to find out that if you consume honey that is locally produced you could develop immunities to certain pollens. All three recipes are interesting and aren't things I'd normally consume, but after seeing the preparation I definitely want to give each one a try!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the knowledge provided in this episode. Including the practical tips like using a chili vinegar spray to keep bugs off lettuce or washing produce in a water vinegar solution. I initially thought by doing so would make them spoil quicker, it’s great to know the opposite is actually true as long as you dry before storing. It’s interesting to think about something seemingly so basic and natural like eating seasonally, vine ripe, colorful, organic food to get the wide range of phytonutrients is something that requires intention and effort in today’s day and age, I think its indicative of the systemic disconnect we have as a collective from nature. Something I haven’t considered before is the value of having the ability to talk to the actual farmers about how the food is produced or when it was picked at a farmer’s market, I think that’s so important to know where your food comes from. I also loved the idea of using kitchen scraps and seeds for your garden. It’s something that I’ve been personally striving to do more of in my kitchen and garden as well.
ReplyDeleteI watched episode 8. I really enjoyed learning about some little snack ideas. These would be great alternatives to conventional snacks. The food shown in the video look much healthier especially compared to store bought snacks. I especially love how simple the food is to make. It is also interesting to note how the food is still good frozen even though the goal is to have the freshest food. As long as the ingredients are whole, it's okay to have frozen foods.
ReplyDeleteI just watched the “Meat and Seafood” episode and I learned so much from this vlog. The meat quality is totally dependent on how the animal was raised while it was alive. I learned that meat last very little if it is not frozen fresh. Frozen fresh means that the cut of meat is frozen quickly so that the nutrients stay locked in. I must try that shrimp coconut curry recipe. It looked so good and easy to make. I would like to add a bit more shrimp in my curry because I am a protein lover and I tend to not get full until I get good amounts of protein. Overall, this was a great insight on fresh meat and seafood. - Enrique Haro
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the rainbow game in episode 11. Since I want to eat more healthily recently, I'm trying to cook for myself whenever I feel relaxed enough. I know that it is better for my health to cook with fresh ingredients from reliable markets and sustainable farms, but I have no idea what is the right proportion for each type of ingredient. Because I'm not good at cooking, a simple game is more useful to me than a long and dry lecture. I don't need to invest time in studying nutritional facts while having more time to investigate healthier grocery-shopping options and enjoy the cooking process. The recipes in the episode are also simple and easy to learn.
ReplyDeleteEpisode 9 Sweet snacks:
ReplyDeletePopcorn is such a versatile snack which means that it can be cooked with various ingredients. Its versatility allows for numerous different ways to enjoy consuming. Additionally, it is a healthy snack that is high in fiber, a great source of protein, and even includes iron. The price to pay for popcorn is very cost effective compared to other snack foods, as money is something I consider often. Microwave popcorn is a product that I had blindly enjoyed without knowing fully what the processes of making it entails. I am unaware if the corn was grown organically and what fats and salts were included. I was also fond of the convenience microwave popcorn has such as doing less dishes and flavoring already embodied but this shouldn’t be an excuse, as making my own is healthier as it has less sugar, salts and preservatives. Working in the food industry requires me to be aware of allergies and sensitivities of customers such as gluten. The peanut butter cookie recipe is gluten free which means there is no use of flour. Due to my small frame I have mistakenly assumed I can eat whatever I want even though I am well aware of the negative effects such activity does have. Switching to sustainable and nutritional ingredients is a healthy way to improve my overall well being.
I found your conversation with your butcher Jarrad Jarrard, in the Meat & Seafood episode to be really informative. I eat a lot of meat in my diet, and as stated early on in the video, you are eating what your meat products were eating. To hear about the dietary differences between organic and conventional meat products is necessary information upon considering the fact that you are what your meat eats. I also really enjoyed the questions you asked, in particular the repeated one between meat and seafood: How long after I buy this until I have to prepare it, or freeze it? It’s good to know that if purchased fresh most meat and seafood should be frozen within the day. Once in the cooking section of the show I really enjoyed how you gave reasons as to why you do things particularly i.e., leaving the skin on the potatoes so as to keep the curry from getting starchy as it is those tidbits of info I find not only the most rewarding to learn about but also the most impactful when actually cooking.
ReplyDeleteBrian Mayberry HM 370
As someone who loves having something sweet after dinner, I loved this video! I have never heard of sucanat but I will be purchasing this item on my next trip to the grocery store. Popcorn is one of my favorite go-to salty snacks and seeing you and Mia make it yourselves made it look so easy. Adding the sucanat made it the perfect sweet and salty late night snack! I also love the intentions that you have for each of the ingredients that you use, such as the nuts for protein, the nutritional benefits of the sucanat, and how you used the coconut water to whip the coconut whipped cream. One thing that I struggle with is that I always want my sweet snacks to be chocolate, but after seeing all the different healthy options you made I need to try these out. And if I am still craving chocolate, I can choose cacao nibs! I bet if I made these snacks on my own instead of buying something, I would feel more satisfied knowing that I saved money and that I am eating nutritious snacks.
ReplyDeleteYsabel Ignacio
Episode 2: Grains and Beans
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to learn more about how to prepare grains and beans properly, since they're such essential components of a well-balanced diet. The discussion about the effects of soaking grains brought me to realize the importance of the process. This aligns with the findings of Westin A. Price, a doctor who spent years visiting villages around the world who hadn't yet been exposed to processed foods. The members of these villages were shown to be in great health, even though their diet was often limited to just a few foods. As Libby said in the video, fermentation of grains was a process carried out regularly by our ancestors, which was also demonstrated in Price's findings. I'd like to learn more about how to ferment grains, as well as vegetables, since fermented foods are such a benefit to our bodies.
-Jackson McCants
I really enjoyed this episode because Libby takes us to a small farm named Lincoln Spring Farms run by her friend Jesse, to show us how easy it is to get local organically grown food. I enjoyed learning the care and hard work it takes to grow produce and sell it for consumers and what it takes to care for them and the soil they use to grow this food. I also enjoyed how Libby cooked using the farm fresh produce and made multiple bean dishes and even a crust out of rice. This was informative to me because I always have leftovers and try not to waste food, so I always repurpose them into something new and different. According to the USDA, food waste in the United States is estimated at 30-40% of the food supply. This number is way too high and videos like these can help more people buy from better sources and waste less food by repurposing leftovers.
ReplyDelete-Gabriela Cervantes HM 370
Austin Espinoza
ReplyDeleteThe reason I picked the episode “Meat and Seafood,” is because I enjoy eating meat. I wanted more insight on how the animals are raised, to be taught a little bit more on the importance of their diet and how they are treated. There’s a lot of differences between: grass fed organic, and conventional foods. Grass fed means that the cattle is raised with their mother for 6 to 12 months. Conventional animals get their food from corn, soy, and get feed lot of fattening foods. With organic fed there is no pesticides in the foods they eat. For fish and meat, it should be eaten within 1-2 days if not frozen the day off, to keep it fresh. Lazy Acres Market gave me an insight on the meats and seas food that is given to consumers, through Libby’s Kitchen. During the cooking of the bison meat, I like the mix of taco seasoning with the tomato sauce. It is a better method to do instead of sprinkling on top. Also learn how to make a coconut curry dish with shrimp and lemon grass. I hope to try these recipes real soon!
I watched episode #8, Fun Fresh Snacks. The video caught my attention because I've been trying to find healthy snacks to substitute unhealthy snacks. I'm changing my diet for something better for my body. I really like how simple and easy are these recipes to make. I've never thought about making an onion dip, even though I like onions. Moreover, I like how these recipes are sustainable and healthy. I appreciate the tips that you gave about the avocado. I didn't know that the dark green part next to the peel was the best part. I've never heard of the Purple Quinoa Patties, but I'm trilled to make them. I believe that these recipes are going to help me with my goal of eating healthier. I'm going to share these recipes with my family.
ReplyDeleteI watched episode #8, Fun Fresh Snacks. The video caught my attention because I've been trying to find healthy snacks to substitute unhealthy snacks. I'm changing my diet for something better for my body. I really like how simple and easy are these recipes to make. I've never thought about making an onion dip, even though I like onions. Moreover, I like how these recipes are sustainable and healthy. I appreciate the tips that you gave about the avocado. I didn't know that the dark green part next to the peel was the best part. I've never heard of the Purple Quinoa Patties, but I'm trilled to make them. I believe that these recipes are going to help me with my goal of eating healthier. I'm going to share these recipes with my family.
ReplyDelete-Jesus Ramirez HM 370
I watched episode 9: sweet snacks. I chose to watch this episode because I love sweet foods and I wanted to see what sweet snacks would be made. I am not that much of a fan of popcorn since I dislike when the popcorn kernels get stuck in my teeth, but the popcorn shown in the episode looked really good, fancy just like how Mi said. The peanut butter cookies looked good as well, I liked that three variations were made, each with an ingredient that stands out, such as the cacao and the blueberries. I do not like avocados but the avocado mousse was interesting to see it made, it looked very fancy in the end, with the crust and the coconut whipped cream.
ReplyDelete- Juliana Carrera, HM 370
Kirsten Otte
ReplyDeleteEpisode 5 - Herbs & Sauces
I choose this video as I want to be able to craft more sauces from scratch and while also doing it in a sustainable manner. I also love herbs and have begun to grow my own mint and basil, which matches this video perfectly. In one of my college classes we learned that having nutritious dense food is truly the way to go and unfortunately the majority of grocery stores are getting heavily processed produce with GMOs. Choosing to grow your own food or purchasing all organic food with all you to gain more nutrients from said produce. More nutrients allow the body to be healthy in a multitude of ways and it also means you do not have to eat as much to meet the recommended daily value of nutrients. I did not know that putting the bones in the broth will add nutrients like collagen and glucose. I also loved seeing how to make ranch as I make a cobb salad with it a lot. After watching this I think I will take on the challenge of making it myself so I benefit from extra nutrients like vitamin A and D. A great cooking tip I found in this video is to use a frying pan for sauces because the heat will distribute evenly, I will be doing that for my next alfredo sauce. This video pairs nicely with my class that discusses nutrition in food and how to cook. It brings up additional ways to use herbs to create some common foods that in processed versions do not hold much value like ranch. Also I did not realize the importance of chicken broth and how you freeze some of it for future uses which also for more sustainable and thoughtful use of the chicken and future prepared dishes.
I learned a lot more about meat and seafood after I watched this episode. Beef is categorized differently based on how cattle is raised and what it eats. Organic grass-fed have the most nutrient contents because there is no chemical or pesticide involved. I did some research and to be certified Organic, cattle must be raised on land that is certified organic, be allowed access to pasture and be fed only organic material. At first this seems like a lot of requirement and a lot of work for a piece of meat to be certified as Organic, but it is simply let the cattle live and eat in their original nature before we got chemicals involved in farming.
ReplyDeleteWhen I go to the market, there are so many types of meat and the marketing labels make it all sound healthy to me. I usually take a long time to decide which one I’m buying, and most of the time I end up picking the most expensive one thinking that it’s going to be the most healthy. However, I am now confident in picking my meat and seafood at the market after learning about it through your video.
- Linh Vu HM 370 Sec 02 9224 -
Working with Poultry
ReplyDeleteThe first portion of the video discussed the raising practices of the chickens that are sold at the butcher counter at Lazy Acres. This information covered the differences between organic, pasture raised and natural chickens. As someone who eats all organically for the most part, it was interesting to hear about the importance of pasture raised chickens. After the interview with the butcher from Lazy Acres, it was clear to me that getting organic chicken is equally as important as looking for pasture raised as well. Later on in the video, it was very helpful getting to see the proper preparation of a chicken. When I buy chicken, it is always just the breasts or thighs, but seeing how a whole chicken is prepared makes me feel better about doing it myself. At the end of the video, she mentioned how many recipes and meals she can get out of one whole chicken. For the price, I think it would be more cost effective to purchase the whole chicken versus just some parts. I would be able to make more food and save it for later. As a college student, it would be very beneficial to do this for meal prepping for my busy schedule. One of the most interesting things I learned was the brining process. I liked how it explained what the purpose of it is.
I watched episode 8 on Fun Fresh Snacks and I found it really interesting how we can use fresh foods to make healthy snacks. Eating healthy snack is always a challenge for me because I always go for the unhealthy ones like chips or cookies that have zero nutritional value. I really liked the Muhammara recipe presented because I had no idea walnuts could be used for a dip which I will definitely be making. I also had no idea that onion dip was so easy to make. The quinoa patties looked really good and convenient for on-the-go snacks. I really liked the tip on the avocados because I did not know that most of its nutrition was in the darker outside part. I really enjoyed this video because every single ingredient had a purpose that added to the snack’s nutrition.
ReplyDeleteLuz Zuniga HM 370
Brittany Smith
ReplyDeleteI watched episode eight on Fun Fresh Snacks. This video is really useful too me because I'm a big snacker. I work 45 hours a week and sometimes I don't have enough time to bring food from home or I wake up late and am rushing to eat something before I go in. My snack choices are definitely not healthy. I eat a salami, cheese and crackers tray, nuts, or chips. I really like eating candy when I'm on my break. I enjoy these dips because I can make them in advance and bring them to work. Fresh guacamole is my favorite and I can pair them with fresh tortilla chips. Thank you for sharing these video ideas.
Episode 9 was really interesting to me. I am a snacker. I love to eat even if it is something small. Watching this episode really taught me how I can make my favorite snacks at home. I honestly never knew popcorn could be made on the stove, which is an interesting experiment, and I would definitely like to try it one day. There is mention that creating at home snacks is a good idea just because you know what is being made right under your eyes. Of course, you need to take into consideration the smaller ingredients like for example the blueberry and the peanut butter. I cannot wait to try the popcorn recipe one day.
ReplyDeleteEpisode 9 Sweet Snacks was really interesting to me. I am a snacker. I love to eat even if it is something small. Watching this episode really taught me how I can make my favorite snacks at home. I honestly never knew popcorn could be made on the stove, which is an interesting experiment, and I would definitely like to try it one day. There is mention that creating at home snacks is a good idea just because you know what is being made right under your eyes. Of course, you need to take into consideration the smaller ingredients like for example the blueberry and the peanut butter. I cannot wait to try the popcorn recipe one day. (I had to post this twice because I left my name out on the first response).
ReplyDeleteI watched this video since I've been looking for healthy snacks to replace junk munchies. I've been exercising and taking care of my body and health and even though I try to eat as healthy as I can, sometimes I crave some snacks and I don't make the smartest choices. I know that I can substitute those unhealthy snacks for some other that are better for me. I have always wanted to make my own dips and I didn't think that it was this easy and simple. This video has inspired me to finally go and make this snack for me and for my family as well. In addition, I like how nutritious and sustainable these dishes are. I was unaware that the nicest and healthiest part was the dark green portion just near to the peel. Before this video, I didn't know that I could make patties from quinoa. The purple quinoa patties look delicious and I’ll try to make it for sure. I believe that with these recipes I can get closer to my goal of eating healthier and that my cravings will be satisfied with these healthier options.
ReplyDeleteEpisode 8 - Jesus Ramirez - HM 370
This episode was so fun. I did not expect the quality I got but it was just like watching the cooking channel! Finding good produce is a very hard thing to do because like the girl said all produce looks the same to the untrained eye. Going with you and seeing the things to look out for in the farmers markets helps to close that gap. All the farmers at the farmers market have so much passion for the food they are providing. It makes me happy to know that their are safe and healthy options available that I can purchase. I see farmers markets all around and will for sure be visiting one soon to buy fresh produce. The second part of the episode was helpful as well because now when I go buy fresh produce I will know how to properly use the ingredients. Prepping fresh produce was an intimidating thought but this episode helped remove that worry. My only remaining concern would be the higher prices at farmers markets but after this episode I believe that the health benefits and fresh taste out weight the savings.
ReplyDelete- Anthony Flores
- Episode 1
Hi Anthony! I did not watch the episode you did but I agree that all produce looks the same to the untrained eye. Now that I am moved out, I solely responsible for what I eat. I go to grocery stores and the organic and inorganic items all look the same to me. It's so easy to buy the inorganic items as they're cheaper. I think farmer's markets are a great way to ensure you buy proper food that's organic and sustainable because that's all foods in the market. However, you are correct that the prices will be higher. That is one of the reasons why I stay away from the markets.
Delete-Nina-Nhi Pham
Episode 5: "Herbs and Sauces"
ReplyDeleteI always struggled with cooking with herbs as I never really knew what to pair them up with. I was too scared to try what they actually tasted like so I always assumed they would be interchangeable. I knew that rosemary and potatoes were a good pair but I never thought that mustard would do good with rosemary either. I don't really like mustard so I would never try it. I also found it very interesting that you can make ranch from scratch. I especially did not expect the ingredients that went into it. All my life I thought ranch was just a mysterious sauce.
-Nina-Nhi Pham
As a consumer who cooks majority of my own meals, I was so unaware how cooking oils could have such distinct different purposes. I am generally guilty of using extra virgin olive oil every time I use oils. I was interested in watching this episode because I have heard how certain oils can contribute to poor gut health and make me inflamed. The information in this episode differentiated between the many reasons to use different cooking oils and fats at different times, and how to store spices. An interesting fact from this episode was that all oils are fats but not all fats are oils, I never thought of this fact in this way, but it makes sense. A few tips from this episode pertaining to when you should use what oil include that cold pressed and extra virgin oils are good for consuming on prepped food and minimally naturally refined oil are good for high heat and cooking. I appreciated how Libby focused on how all of our choices with food pertain to the environment throughout the entire video.
ReplyDelete-Ashley Russell
April Hernandez
ReplyDeleteEpisode 9-"Sweet Snacks"
So I decided to watch the Sweet Snacks videos because one of my bad habits is that I always want something sweet. I always end up eating some really unhealthy snack and because it does not have nutrients I do not get full so then I end up eating a lot more than I need to. The popcorn sounds like a fun treat that is easy to make. I already knew about using sucanat instead of actual sugar and I will try incorporating it more into my cooking because I realized that pretty much everything I use is very processed. So I will try to find more organic options for my snacking.
Watching the Meat and Seafood, I had a lingering question about the quantity of grass-fed organic beef available. I know that the quality is undeniably better than the other options, but I couldn’t help but wonder about the amount of beef that is produced at that quality. From the bit of research that I have done, cattle need a lot of grazing land per individual and should be rotated from plot to plot to get the best quality. My concern is if more ranchers attempt to expand their grass-fed organic beef production, it will affect the surrounding environment since more land would have to be allocated to the cattle. If someone has some insight they can share with me on the topic it would be much appreciated because it’s something I have been wondering about. I also can’t help but mention that I could be my mother screaming in my head no metal on the metal pan when you were cooking the bison.
ReplyDeleteEpisode 7: Soups and Crackers
ReplyDeleteWatching this video really made me hungry and got me thinking about making moves towards cooking at home, especially since Libby made it look so simple to cook up a healthy flavorful soup with very minimal steps and skills. For me, it has always been a challenge to eat right, but when you consider all the things that are in foods, it really gets you thinking.
I had no idea that it only takes three simple ingredients to make crackers at home, butter, flour, and sesame seeds— pro-tip she adds, use cold butter as opposed to warm runny butter, as this will effect the texture of the finished product.
For anyone looking to start cooking at home and changing their dieting habits, I think this video provides a very easy to follow guide and discusses little tips and tricks for getting your meal just right— none of those strict set in stone/ little to no deviation instructions, which makes it pretty fool proof.
Rameen Soheilian
Tan Duy Nguyen
ReplyDeleteEpisode One "Farm to Table Freshness"
After watching the episode, I never considered harvesting the seeds from bell peppers while cutting them. This is such a great idea to stay sustainable and use all parts of the produce bought. It was extremely helpful to see what the produce should look like had it been grown without genetically modified additions. I really enjoy watching the conversations with the farmers at the market. In my opinion, sustainable farmers should not use chemical pesticides, fertilizers or genetically modified seeds. In addition, I have never washed vegetables with vinegar to keep the vitamins and nutrients in their rinds and skins.
Episode 10: Meat and Seafood
ReplyDeleteI found this episode super interesting and thought provoking. I also thought that the meals that Libby made looked really delicious. I loved how she provided her recipes and locations that you can find her organic items in addition to the video. When she discussed how you can notice the difference in quality and flavor of meats based on how they are raised I definitely agreed. I have recently learned how the practices used to raise animals include a lot of chemicals that are very harmful to the animals and the consumers of the meat that is produced. We must be more aware of what we are consuming and continue to question the processes that produce our foods. I found this video very insightful and I really loved the attention to detail she used to choose all of the ingredients. - Yahkhan Blackburn HM 370
Juliana Thornton
ReplyDeleteEpisode 9: Sweet Snacks
This episode was super interesting and helpful. I'm definitely going to try some of those recipes and refer friends/family as well. By making snacks at home we can eliminate our intake of GMOs(genetically modified organisms) and also reduce food waste. When buying prepackaged food we don't know where it's coming from or what was used to create it. Often times companies waste a lot of product because they can't repurpose it. When cooking at home you can repurpose those items that typically would be thrown away. For example, coffee grounds can be used for compost, which can then be used to grow plants at home!
Juliana Thornton
ReplyDeleteA question I have is how much food is wasted in the creation of prepackaged foods?
Episode Eight "Fun Fresh Snacks"
ReplyDeleteI love snacking. I always be watching show, playing game, and snacking at the same time. I can ensure you that my snack is nowhere near fresh or healthy. I guess I never bother to make my own snack. It is interesting to learn that we always thought fat is bad for us, but fat extracting from walnuts or avocados are healthy. The video introduces how to make onion dips and guacamole, and chips. They are all way simpler to make than I thought, it only takes about 5 minutes and you will have a fresh dips with chips. It can possibly save a lot of money from purchasing shelve snacks. It also improves our diet. I love all the recommendation. My only concern is that since is being fresh and sustainable, it may has to be consume in a few days before it gets perish, what will be the best way to keep the dip longer?
Cynthia Tran
ReplyDeleteEpisode 9: Sweet Snacks
I really found this episode to be insightful and relatable simultaneously. I absolutely love to snack as I tend to have multiple smaller meals throughout the day. Snacking helps fill in the gaps when I feel hungry in-between meals. I also love to bake and will most definitely use these recipes to impress my friends/family. The most relatable part of the video is the avocado mousse. In Vietnamese culture, we have a sweet dessert that takes a couple of ingredients and can be done in a matter of minutes. We add ice, avocado, and condesned milk/sugar to a blender. Once it's creamy, we pour it into a cup and enjoy. For texture, we can add extra mashed avocado and sugar after it has been blended. Now, I would like to try it your way and make a sort of avocado parfait. I have tried to become more mindful about the potential food waste I can cause if I purchase large amounts that are not needed. It is important to only purchase the amount of food that we need to make our dish. Excess food can go unnoticed in the fridge and rot if we forget about it. Not only have I learned this here, but I often go to farmers markets once in while to find the best honey, fruits, and vegetables. They have the best tasting products even though they may have a higher price than the grocery store. In this way, I can give back to the local farmers who work hard to make sure their products are fresh. I can also eliminate food waste and extra packaging I do not need.
Cynthia Tran
ReplyDeleteEpisode 9: Sweet Snacks
I really found this episode to be insightful and relatable simultaneously. I absolutely love to snack as I tend to have multiple smaller meals throughout the day. Snacking helps fill in the gaps when I feel hungry in-between meals. I also love to bake and will most definitely use these recipes to impress my friends/family. The most relatable part of the video is the avocado mousse. In Vietnamese culture, we have a sweet dessert that takes a couple of ingredients and can be done in a matter of minutes. We add ice, avocado, and condensed milk/sugar to a blender. Once it's creamy, we pour it into a cup and enjoy. For texture, we can add extra mashed avocado and sugar after it has been blended. Now, I would like to try it your way and make a sort of avocado parfait. I have tried to become more mindful about the potential food waste I can cause if I purchase large amounts that are not needed. It is important to only purchase the amount of food that we need to make our dish. Excess food can go unnoticed in the fridge and rot if we forget about it. Not only have I learned this here, but I often go to farmers markets once in while to find the best honey, fruits, and vegetables. They have the best tasting products even though they may have a higher price than the grocery store. In this way, I can give back to the local farmers who work hard to make sure their products are fresh. I can also eliminate food waste and extra packaging I do not need.
I just finished watching episode 10 "Meat and Seafood". As mentioned by Libby, it is so important how the animal is raised, and that has much to do with quality of the meat or seafood. Like Libby I prefer to get my meat from the farmer directly where I can ensure the exact conditions that the animals experienced. According to their website, Diamond Mountain Ranch "is an all-natural, family-run ranch nestled in the hills of northern California. We provide high quality, free range, grass fed food to the golden state. Our animals include chicken, turkey, pork, beef, rabbits, lamb, yak, goat and our specialty: Bison." All natural ranches, free range and grass fed livestock must be certified to ensure that you are receiving the highest quality. Its interesting to note how Lazy Acres Protein Specialist Jason Jarrard mentioned that shoppers should eat the fresh meat products within two days to ensure the best quality. He also spoke about sustainable seafood which doesn't harm future stocks of the species, includes both maritime and fresh water seafood. I love how Libby created a beautiful meal with sustainable livestock and seafood. I'm sure it tasted better because of the certified quality and freshness. My question is, if you are located far away from such an all natural ranch or speciality market, is there an online source to order such sustainable livestock and seafood?
ReplyDeleteNatasha Kleian
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching the “Sweet Snacks” video and I learned so many new recipes and additional information that I will be adding into my diet. The first big takeaway from the video was the sucanat sugar. I think that is a great substitute that I will now implement instead of white sugar. I’ve learned that it is important to have a well balanced diet, therefore the nuts for protein were a good addition. Another point I learned was about honey. I didn’t know that eating local honey can help build immunity to pollen around you. All in all, I will probably end up trying all of the recipes. They look so good and on top of that they are so much better for you than conventional snacks. I am excited to try that avocado mouse because I am a big fan of avocados. Whenever I am craving sugar, I know what to make now.
The Farm to Table Freshness episode is so inspiring to eat nutritionally and what to look/ask for in fresh produce. I love the advocation for shopping at local farmers markets to have those direct conversations with vendors to get the full picture of how their produce is grown, what preventative measures are taken for bugs/germs and when in the lifecycle/how many days prior the produce was picked. I had heard of eating the rainbow before, but I hadn’t fully understood what that meant prior to your video. I will try to incorporate more colors of the rainbow in my meals to get those nutrients from the different pigments/nutrients. Furthermore, I love the at-home washing solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water that will kill micro bacteria and allow the produce to last 2-3 extra days in the fridge.
ReplyDeleteI watched Episode 3 about Fats and Spices and I was surprised how in-depth the choice of fats can be when purchasing those items at the store. It always came into that most of the fats and spices were nearly identical. Now I know I will be using cold pressed oil as my main oil for cooking whenever I make food in the kitchen. This video would be of great use to anyone who's missing or demanding redundant antioxidants and enzymes in their systems, it's super affordable and simple. What I want to do however is see if I can incorporate what I learned in this occasion not just into cuisine, but into baking sweets and desserts as well. I would make alternatives like a nutritional cookie or pie crust.
ReplyDeleteMy family tends to have leftovers very consistently. Watching episode 6 on repurposing leftovers, makes me think about how to utilize other ingredients to bring your leftovers back to life with a fresh and delicious taste to it. I know for society as a whole, food wastage is a current standing problem that needs to be addressed. I feel that most of that wastage comes from leftovers. One of the reasons I would say might have to do with not knowing what to cook or make of those leftovers because sometimes you have to improvise with ingredients you may not commonly use or pair together. With the cost of produce going up in recent years, my mother and I have been growing our own vegetables and fruits in the backyard. Doing so, has taught us about the ingredients themselves as well as methods for growing and taking care of it. Concerning the current state of food prices, in order to address and sustain the triple bottom line, people cannot count on grocery stores and business to do all the work. Families should start trying to have their own little produce for what they can. By growing your own food, you can help better understand the nature of food health and agricultural techniques.
ReplyDeleteHi Rolin!
DeleteI should definitely watch that video as well. I'm always so worried about buying too much food or ending up with leftovers. Learning to repurpose leftovers is not only good for the environment by not being wasteful, but it can also save you money by creating a whole other meal! It kind of reminds me of how my parents would always use leftover rice and vegetables to make fried rice!
I loved watching the soups and crackers video. This past month I have actually been trying to cook way more of my meals at home. Mainly, so I can have a better control over the ingredients I use and knowledge of the recipe. I made a butternut squash soup last week and it was so simple and fun. It was really cool to me because the only ingredients were: squash, garlic, chicken broth, and salt. In this video, Libby talks about how she prefers to make things her self because she does not always know what a company is putting in their products exactly. In my class, we learned about a former Olympic athlete who turned his diet around after suffering with an autoimmune disorder. He started a restaurant that uses local, fresh, and real food. It just goes to show that the food we put into our bodies really matters even for Olympic athletes.
ReplyDeleteI watched “The Rainbow Game” episode and started implementing this method into my everyday daily habits. Naturally, I enjoy all types of foods and vegetables. I did not realize how easily I can consume various nutrients just by following the colors of the food I eat. I do notice that my energy levels are up from before. So now, when I do cook, I try to incorporate different color ingredients. This method really helps me keep up with what nutrients I am missing based on what color I did not eat yet. I really enjoyed the recipes because they really are all doable. My personal favorite was the yogurt parfait. Its something that I can make in a reasonable time.
ReplyDeleteThe episode I chose was "Farm to Table Freshness", where Ms. Gustin discusses how it is a good choice to buy fresh food from a farmer's market to ensure that the quality is high, and also so that vendors can be asked questions directly about the produce. Ms. Gustin also provides some useful methods to ensure that the freshly bought food is safe to consume by explaining how to properly soak or wash vegetables with water and vinegar. Finally, Ms. Gustin shows how to be sustainable by composting anything that she chooses not to consume and can be used for the environment beneficially.
ReplyDeletePrior to watching Sweet Snack episode, I was definitely already aware that my favorite snacks such as chips and candy were unhealthy for me especially since they are such processed. I’m a constant snacker and am always carrying something in my bag in case I need a pick me up so I was really excited to see a video that was going to teach me healthier snack options with less processed sugars. I absolutely love popping my own popcorn and I appreciated that this episode talked about how more affordable it is to just buy bagged kernels instead of bagged popcorn. I also find bagged popcorn too fatty and oily and it was an interesting fact to learn that most of our corn is genetically modified but popcorn isn’t! I can’t wait to incorporate this sweet and savory popcorn recipe into my movie night rotation. I felt like the avocado mousse and peanut butter cookies both looked delicious and easy to make as well. All of the items needed are quite common pantry items so these recipes are definitely doable and quick!
ReplyDeleteJoseph Jaime
ReplyDeleteThe video I watch was video 1 - farm to table freshness and having the privilege of taking a class with Libby Gustin I got to learn these tips and tricks firsthand. Our body is something that we should tale car. of so it only makes sense to put things in it that you know are going to be good for your health and will have a. beneficial outcome as you consume it. Going to the farmers market allows you to understand your ingredients a little more as the vendors a knowledgeable in what they are selling. The part that I found the most intriguing was the vendor who made is own pesticide out of chillies, to prevent bugs from getting on the produce. After watching the video there is so much food waste that could be cutback if everyone reused ingredients like libby did. This could be as easy as saving the seeds like she did and start your own garden.
Vanessa Neeley HM 370
ReplyDeleteThe episode that i watched was episode 1 "Farm to Table Freshness". Asking the vendors at farmer’s markets is a very important thing to do if you are wanting to know that your food is truly going to be farm-to-table fresh. As learned in class, Libby explained that it is completely okay to ask the vendors questions especially because you are the one spending the money on the food. The knowledge of the food you buy is essential. It was extremely exciting to see that the vendors were well-educated in the products that they were selling. Using nature to keep pests away is such an amazing thing to hear because pesticides are taking over and not good for our health. Drying produce after using the vinegar and water mixture is essential to keeping produce last 2 to 3 days longer than they normally would because as long as the produce is dry, the cleaning solution can do its job. Eating all the colors of the rainbow equals getting all of the essential nutrients needed for the everyday nutrition of the body. Vine-ripe veggies and fruits are the best way to go when it comes to buying these foods because they exude all of the nutrients, vitamins, and healthy components that are vital to living a healthy lifestyle.
The episode that I watches was episode 9 "Sweet Snacks". I never realized that I have consumed so much processed sugar daily. After watching this video, I did educate myself a little bit about processed sugar. I found out that processed sugar not only contributes to bad overall health, but is also one of the main reasons for terrible diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, and stroke risk. Furthermore, I like the way that she manages to make ingredients by herself. The peanut butter part blew my mind off, I didn't know that manufacturers could sell their customer spoiled peanuts. There should be more videos and lectures that educate people about processed sugar like this.
ReplyDeleteEpisode 5: Herbs and Sauces
ReplyDeleteI haven’t had much experience making my own sauces at home but I was really intrigued by a lot of the information presented here and feel inspired to experiment with making my own. I think it would be really fun to try and make use of leftover herbs by including them into a sauce and seeing what flavors would work well together that I’ve never tried before. I never thought to add different flavors into something such as mustard but I think doing this with various sauces could also be a good way to spice up and revamp something I’m already familiar with and maybe getting tired of eating while also utilizing ingredients I already have. I have known for a while now how your own chicken broth can be made at home but seeing it actually be saved and used for so long is now making me want to think of different ways I can stretch and utilize other food items I have at home that could make something I would otherwise have to buy. I think it would be beneficial for anyone to think of different ways to utilize ingredients you already have to make something else to help reduce food waste and thus increase sustainable eating. One concern I have with producing more food at home, such as sauces or dips, is the cost that may come with it. While I know that making food at home is typically cheaper in the long run, I don’t usually see this being the case with more sustainable, fresh options which were recommended to use here. Now I find myself asking if there is ever a way that we can make sustainable food options affordable for everyone? Ideally I would like to be eating and producing more healthy food at home, but I, along with many other people, don’t have the means to afford it right now.